F1 targets higher tyre degradation for 2027

Nine of 15 races this season have been one-stoppers for most of the field, and that's a direct consequence of Pirelli having to develop the 2026 tyres against wildly inconsistent team simulations — a 30% spread in predicted downforce levels — rather than real cars. For 2027, Pirelli has already run 400 laps at Imola with Ferrari and Racing Bulls using actual 2026 machinery, giving them genuine load and thermal data to work with. The structural changes being explored are specifically aimed at generating more heat and thermal decay, targeting both axles independently. The compound range is still to be finalised, with a wet-tyre test at Magny-Cours next on the calendar — so the picture isn't complete, but the foundation is meaningfully better than it was a year ago.