Drivers Push Back on Pirelli Wet Tyres Despite Russell's Optimism

Pirelli's wet-weather tyres finally got a proper competitive workout at the São Paulo Grand Prix — and the verdict from the grid was anything but unanimous. Carlos Sainz called the rubber "not good enough," Alex Albon described the full wet as "really poor," while George Russell argued the weekend went "substantially better than we all anticipated."

Why it matters:

Wet tyres have been F1's weak link for years, at one stage nearly obsolete as a race choice. With 2026's reduced power units making low-grip running even more delicate, a tyre drivers cannot switch on is a safety question as much as a performance one.

The details:

• Interlagos qualifying ran in torrential rain for the first full-wet running of the season; Sunday's race was wet-dry-wet, forcing a slicks-to-intermediate switch and a late shower.
• Sainz was scathing: the rear of the intermediate stays weak in mixed conditions, the front is gone by the time it warms, and the full wet produced heavy aquaplaning and "a big lack of rear grip."
• Albon offered a striking picture of the working window, describing the laps to the grid as "insane" — no grip, immediate overheating, yet tread wearing away while still cold. "You never feel good at any point," he said.
• Russell's caveat: Interlagos, Sepang and Marina Bay are all rough, hot surfaces. Spa at 15°C, he suggested, "we're giving different feedback."
• Pirelli did run dedicated wet tests through 2026, with Racing Bulls at Suzuka and Lewis Hamilton at Fiorano, and Hamilton's push helped ease the tyre-blanket ban.

What's next:

Sainz wants a joint development push with Pirelli; Albon goes further, arguing a grippier wet and intermediate could let drivers use the full 350kW deployment rather than tip-toeing. Pirelli has an off-season to answer.