F1 tyres: soft, medium, hard and everything that matters between them

Three dry-weather choices

Three dry-weather compounds are nominated for a weekend and labelled relatively as soft, medium and hard. Their colours are red, yellow and white. The label does not mean the same absolute compound at every race: the selection depends on the circuit.

Temperature is decisive

A cold tyre does not provide the desired grip, while an overheated one may lose pace. The driver aims to reach and maintain an effective operating window. Physical wear and performance degradation are not exactly the same thing.

When it rains

Intermediates are marked green and wet-weather tyres blue. The choice depends on water on the track and driving conditions. The rules on using compounds during a race include exceptions for wet conditions.