Cold Las Vegas night could make tyre management a major F1 challenge

A cold night could make tyre management a major test for Formula 1 teams at the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Temperatures are expected to be around 10°C or lower. Long straights may cool the tyres quickly, while much of the circuit offers too little cornering load to keep them in their working window. That could leave drivers short of grip on turn-in and corner exit.

After the Brazilian Grand Prix, where wet-weather and intermediate tyres were used, Max Verstappen warned that cold conditions can make cars behave very differently. Some cars have worked extremely well on such a track in the past, he said, while Las Vegas is normally not one of Red Bull’s best circuits. Getting the tyres to work will be key, the Red Bull driver added.

Lando Norris also warned of trouble if drivers cannot get the tyres up to temperature. The McLaren driver said the current tyre would be a poor fit for those conditions and that a much better one would be needed.

If rubber with too little grip slides across the asphalt, it can grain: small pieces may break away and stick back onto the tread, reducing grip further. A softer compound may warm more quickly, but that does not automatically make it the best choice for a full race. Teams have to balance warm-up, grip and wear.

The 2026 rules add a power-delivery challenge. The electric drive can supply up to 350 kW, and an aggressive burst out of a slow corner could spin the rear tyres if they lack grip. The long straights also make efficient use of electrical energy important; extra power is of little use if the rear tyres cannot put it onto the road.

The task is not just to warm the tyres, but to preserve enough grip for the electric power to reach the track. Las Vegas may reward teams that solve both sides of the problem: bringing the tyres up to temperature, then delivering power at a rate the available grip can handle.