What tyres will the drivers have for the first ever F1 Sprint at the 2021 British Grand Prix?

History will be made at Silverstone this weekend with the first F1 Sprint to be held on Saturday ahead of the British Grand Prix on Sunday, and Pirelli have now announced which tyres they will be bringing to the race.

Not only will Pirelli bring more tyres to account for F1 Sprint this weekend, they will also be implementing the new, more robust rear construction that was tested in practice for the Austrian Grand Prix. This will be used from the British Grand Prix until the end of the season.

READ MORE: F1 Sprint, Mercedes' upgrades, and a full house – 5 reasons we’re excited about the British Grand Prix

The hardest three compounds in the Pirelli range will be used: C1 (hards), C2 (mediums) and C3 (softs). Moreover, they will supply 12 sets of slicks rather than 13, with two sets of C1s, four sets of C2s and six sets of C3s available this weekend. In case of rain, up to six intermediate sets and three wet sets of tyres will be available.

Qualifying will take place on Friday, and in a change to normal practice, all drivers must use the soft tyre for the session, as opposed to having a free choice. As for Saturday’s Sprint, drivers will have a free choice of starting tyres and no mandatory pit stop – with a free choice of tyres for the start of Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

“There are plenty of new things to look forward to during the Silverstone weekend: first and foremost the introduction of Sprint qualifying for the first of three races this year, which will completely alter the dynamic and rhythm of the weekend as well as having an important effect on how the tyres are used,” said Pirelli’s Head of F1 and Car Racing Mario Isola.

“The different ways in which the teams interpret these new regulations and make the most of them is going to be fascinating to watch. We’re also introducing the new construction of rear tyre that was tested successfully in Austria with positive feedback.

Don’t miss the beginning of a whole new era: See a full-size 2022 F1 car for the first time this Thursday

“As for Silverstone itself, it remains one of the biggest tests of the year for tyres thanks to all its fast corners, meaning that some degree of tyre management is always essential. Another key factor is of course the British weather, which is famously variable at this time of year.”

Formula 2 returns for Round 4 this weekend with hard and medium tyres in use for the first time in 2021. Four hards and two mediums will be available, the hard being more resistant than in 2020 and the medium "offering a bit more performance" according to Pirelli.

Image courtesy of @Pirellimotorsport. For more information about Pirelli's Formula 1 tyres, visit pirelli.com.