Mario Isola: C6 drivers still have to figure it out

      Pirelli brought the softest C6 tires in its range to Imola, but during the weekend many people said they were too soft, trying to create a supply of Hard and Medium tires for tomorrow's race.

      Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director: "This qualification needs to be carefully analyzed from the point of view of tire performance, as it allowed us to draw interesting conclusions.

      Everyone wanted to see how the C6 would perform in qualifying, comparing it to the C5. Judging by the data and comments, the difference in performance between the two softest compounds in the 2025 lineup is relatively small, as expected. But on Saturday, on a track that has hardly changed compared to Friday, it was not easy for the riders to unleash the potential of the C6 tires. This line-up was not used on cars in 2025, and only eight of today's 20 riders tested it in tests at the end of 2024 in Abu Dhabi. Most likely, they need to understand it better in order to get the most out of it.

      As a result, some riders chose to use the C5 compound, which they know well because it was the qualifying tire for the previous two stages in Jeddah and Miami. They preferred to sacrifice a little grip in exchange for the advantage in lap time, which gives them the predictability of tires with which they have more experience and more data.

      As for the strategy, the most likely option is with a single pit stop, because there is only one DRS zone and the biggest loss of time in the pit lane. Starting on Medium and switching to Hard between lap 17 and 23 seems optimal.

      Some riders may prefer a longer first leg, starting on the Hard side in the hope of getting a safety car out. In this case, the transition to Medium will occur between lap 37 and 43. A two-stop strategy is not excluded, but taking into account the mentioned factors, it is unprofitable. For those who try to do this, the best combinations will be Medium-Hard-Hard."