Slicks are the tyres used most often and get their name from having a smooth, rounded look.
There are five slick compounds, ranging from the hardest to the softest – C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5.
Pirelli selects three compounds from this range for each race week – and the selection depends on possible strategies and characteristics of the tracks.
So for one race, the C3 could be the softest tyre, whereas for another it could be the medium or hardest tyre in the selection.
Each compound is defined by its colour, with the softest marked red, the medium yellow and the hard white.
The red softs provide the most grip, but do not last long before degrading. The white hard tyres last the longest but offer less grip and speed.
Soft tyres are typically best for qualifying or short stints, while medium and hard tyres are preferred for longer runs in races.
