The softest tyre Pirelli brought to Baku did 31 laps. That’s over half the race with no degradation, no forced pit stops, and no strategy. If Albon hadn’t put his Williams into the wall, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix would have been a procession.
In this video I make the case that F1 should open the door to Michelin and Bridgestone again — because from 2001 to 2006, two tyre manufacturers fought every single weekend, and the racing was better for it. Michelin was faster in the heat, Bridgestone in the cold. Before the lights went out, the weather had already decided who had the edge.
The FIA’s own tender document asked Pirelli for tyres with “a cliff in performance towards the end of their lifecycle.” The 2026 cars are smaller and lighter with less downforce, loading the tyres less than ever. Pirelli’s response was to make the compounds more durable. They went the opposite direction to what they were asked for.
This isn’t new. In 2025 five straight races were won on a one-stop. At Monza, Norris and Piastri ran their starting mediums to lap 45 of 53. Pirelli brought their softest compound to Baku that year to force two stops, nobody used it, and they deleted it from the range.
Bridgestone tried to come back in 2023. Hamilton, Alonso and Hülkenberg reportedly backed the bid. The FIA approved it. F1 chose Pirelli after a reported hike in the fee they pay — and extended them again in June 2026, to 2028.
The FIA asked for a cliff. They got a plateau.
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