By: Pirelli has, for several years now, adopted what could be described as a safe tyre selection for the Italian Grand Prix. Using the C3 as the hardest compound, with the C4 as the Medium and the C5 as the Soft, has worked well since 2023. On paper, the circuit looks very simple. At first glance, with its long straights and few “demanding” corners, it is not regarded as a particularly punishing event for the tyres, nor one that is difficult to interpret.
Difficulty generating grip
However, a closer look reveals that there are still some critical issues at Monza which drivers will need to keep an eye on. Compared with last year, for example, when the cars’ aerodynamics and the very concept of the Venturi-style floor gave the cars greater grip – there was certainly much more downforce – the top speeds and lateral loads the cars will be able to achieve, for instance through corners such as the Parabolica, will depend less on the power available than on the mechanical grip that can be generated between the car package, tyres and track. This could also lead to different approaches to racing lines among the drivers.
Graining, the non-issue of the Italian Grand Prix
Clearly, this aspect will also have an impact on the tyres, potentially giving rise to phenomena drivers would never want to deal with, such as graining. It is an unexpected phenomenon, particularly given the high temperatures, but one that Pirelli itself found on some tyres yesterday. The most affected were the left-front C4 and C5 tyres, namely the softer compounds.
Fortunately, precisely because this is a very hot weekend and the asphalt will evolve significantly today and tomorrow, the Long P company expects the phenomenon – already fairly limited on Friday – to diminish further, if not disappear altogether by Sunday. Should anyone encounter it, they should essentially be able to get rid of it easily within a few laps.
In short, although Monza appears to be a simple circuit to tackle, where drivers only need to focus on being quick and extracting the maximum from the car on every lap without worrying about tyre management, that is not quite the case. It never is.
Photo: fabiovegetti.it
All the news, photos, weather, session times and times from the Italian GP 2026
