Pirelli Chooses Harder Compounds for 2025 São Paulo (Brazil) GP After Last Year’s High Tyre Wear
For the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix at Autódromo José Carlos Pace (commonly known as Interlagos), tyre supplier Pirelli has opted to bring a tougher tyre specification than in the 2024 event. The compound allocation for the event will be C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), and C4 (Soft), effectively one step harder across each tier compared to last year.
This decision follows significant tyre degradation observed during the 2024 weekend, where a fully-resurfaced track surface produced unusually smooth asphalt. The 2024 event saw tyres worn down quickly and much of the strategy window compressed due to unexpected degradation and graining, especially on the rear axle.
Pirelli’s official preview noted that the track’s “new asphalt … less abrasive than in previous years, although still with plenty of bumps around the track” had contributed to the fast wear. By selecting a harder range of compounds for 2025, Pirelli expects these tyres to offer greater durability and allow softer compounds to play a more meaningful role in race strategy, rather than being reserved only for qualifying or Sprint events. Pirelli Newsroom
Teams will receive two sets of the Hard tyre, three sets of Medium, and eight sets of Soft, along with intermediate and wet tyres for variable weather. This allocation is intended to give flexibility and ensure safety margins, given the high load and uneven surface conditions at Interlagos. Formula 1® – The Official F1® Website
The step-up in compound hardness reflects Pirelli’s broader goal: avoid the kind of excessive wear that limited strategic options last year and instead enable deeper stints, more tactical variation, and improved tyre life. With the 2025 surface now matured and teams more familiar with local conditions, this change aims to restore balance between performance and durability.
Editor’s View
Pirelli’s move to harder compounds at Interlagos underscores how tyre performance is tightly connected to surface condition, vehicle loads, and temperature management. For the tyre-industry ecosystem, this is a reminder that decision-making around compound selection isn’t just about lap time; it affects safety, strategy, wear, and replacement cycles. For manufacturers, suppliers, and aftermarket stakeholders, shifts like this matter because what happens at the very top of motorsport often feeds down into high-performance road tyres, R&D compounds, and even commercial vehicle applications.
