Interlagos gets softer C3-C5 tyres for 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 5, 2026
Interlagos Tyre Shift
Pirelli will bring a softer tyre range to Interlagos for the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with the C3 nominated as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft. The selection is one step softer than last year’s C2-C4 range and comes after resurfacing between Turns 3 and 5 and between Turns 8 and 9, a change expected to influence grip, tyre wear and the way the track evolves through the weekend.
Each driver will receive two sets of hards, three sets of mediums and eight sets of softs, with an extra soft set reserved for any driver who reaches Q3. In a dry race, drivers must use at least two slick compounds, so the mix of durability and pace will matter from the first laps of practice through the final stint on Sunday.
Weekend Strategy
The Sao Paulo Grand Prix will close the current triple header at Interlagos. Practice is set for Friday, qualifying for Saturday and the race for Sunday, with teams getting three practice sessions to sort out how the new surface behaves. Friday practice will carry extra weight because it will be the first real test of whether the softer compounds can survive race distance and hold performance on the resurfaced sections.
That matters because the tyre plan is tied directly to the race shape teams expect. Pirelli said tyre wear was a major factor at Interlagos last year, and a two-stop strategy was the most effective approach. Williams expects rear tyre wear and overheating to make a two-stop strategy likely in dry conditions again. The softer selection also makes it important to understand how the softs and mediums perform as the track evolves.
Interlagos Profile
The circuit measures 4.309 kilometers and first hosted a Grand Prix in 1973. Rain is forecast through the weekend at Interlagos, adding another variable.
The 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix produced 96 overtakes, and the last seven Sao Paulo Grands Prix have produced a 21.83-second pit-loss figure. Interlagos also carries an 86% Safety Car probability. With a softer compound range, a resurfaced circuit and weather in the mix, the weekend should demand clean execution from the opening practice run to the final stint on Sunday.
