Pirelli relies on a variety of tactics.

      In the middle of the season, Formula 1 returns to Silverstone – the circuit where the World Championship history began 75 years ago. On May 13, 1950, the British Grand Prix was held for the first time on a track laid out on the site of a former military airfield.

      This year, Pirelli has prepared softer tires for the British race compared to 2024. The Hard compound will be C2, Medium is C3, and Soft is C4. The decision was made jointly with the FIA, Formula 1, and the teams to create conditions for more diverse tactical schemes, as always.

      Last year, with C3 as the soft tire, only a few drivers switched to such tires in the final stages of the race at Silverstone, when the rain had already stopped. This year, C3 is used as Medium, and Pirelli expects it to be utilized more actively during different phases of the Grand Prix.

      Drivers attempting to complete the race with a single pit stop will need to be very careful with their tires, taking into account that this strategy is not the fastest. Additionally, it's worth noting that a visit to the pits at Silverstone takes less time than at other circuits (about 20.5 seconds), and overtaking is possible, although passing a competitor on this high-speed British track is quite challenging.

      Last year's British Grand Prix took place in changing weather conditions, so all three tire compounds and intermediate tires were used. Specifically, Medium tires (C2) worked quite effectively, allowing drivers to attack actively even in the early laps when fuel loads were high, and they handled difficult conditions well when rain started around the middle of the race.

      The rain stopped less than a third of the way to the finish line, allowing the teams to switch back to dry tires. Different strategies were employed: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the race, completing the last 14 laps on soft tires, specifically a worn set of Softs. Max Verstappen finished second, with his Red Bull Racing car fitted with hard tires, and Lando Norris finished third, also having a worn set of soft tires on the 39th lap, losing about five seconds to his teammate Oscar Piastri, who completed the final stint on Medium.

      Silverstone’s circuit consists of 18 corners connected by straights of varying lengths, and speeds are very high throughout, including in many corners, resulting in tires experiencing significant loads, comparable to Spa and Suzuka.

      The track is used almost year-round, providing good grip from the very first Friday practice, and the pavement material is not particularly abrasive.

      Even in midsummer, the weather in England can be unpredictable – rain may start unexpectedly, temperatures and wind directions can change rapidly, and, of course, all of this influences the race. That was the case last year. The forecast for the main days of the upcoming weekend predicts a 45-60% chance of precipitation.