Michelin Selects Soft and Medium Tyres for Monza Finale

Michelin has selected soft and medium Hypercar slicks for the 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Monza, adapting its allocation for a November season finale that presents a different challenge from Bahrain.

The French manufacturer will also bring its latest wet-weather tyre, first raced in Barcelona last month. The selection gives teams options for the cooler conditions associated with the championship’s move to northern Italy.

High speeds place contrasting demands on the tyres

Monza’s long straights do not make it an easy assignment for Michelin’s Pilot Sport Endurance range.

According to Michelin’s endurance racing programmes manager Pierre Alves, the rear-left tyre experiences a load of around 900kg through Turn 3. Heavy braking adds another demand, with deceleration exceeding 2g for approximately five per cent of each lap.

Those figures illustrate why straight-line efficiency alone cannot determine competitiveness. Cars must also remain stable under braking and deliver traction out of the chicanes, themes explored in our preview of the WEC Monza finale.

Latest-generation slicks complete their first season

Introduced at the beginning of 2026, Michelin’s current Hypercar slicks contain 50 per cent renewable or recycled materials. The new wet-weather specification raises that proportion to 57 per cent.

The wet tyre’s Barcelona debut provided experience in changing conditions. Michelin reported that it maintained consistent performance as the surface dried, before teams switched to slicks.

That experience offers useful preparation, although Monza’s surface, temperatures and loading will present a different test.

Tyre life remains a strategic question

Michelin’s new slick range has already demonstrated its endurance potential. At Le Mans in June, the manufacturer reported double, triple and quadruple stints, with some sets covering more than 600 kilometres.

That does not establish how long teams can run the same tyres at Monza. Compound choice and replacement timing will depend on the conditions and each car’s behaviour across a run.

As our guide to stints in endurance racing explains, retaining tyres through a refuelling stop can save pit time, provided the loss of performance on older rubber does not outweigh that saving.

The six-hour race starts at 11:00 CET on Sunday 8 November. Toyota has already secured the manufacturers’ championship, while its #7 and #8 crews will settle the drivers’ title at Monza.