What are slick tyres in F1?
Smooth, treadless dry-weather tyres that maximise grip by putting as much rubber on the road as possible.
Slicks are the smooth, grooveless tyres used in dry conditions. With no tread pattern, their entire surface contacts the road, giving the maximum possible dry grip. They come in several dry compounds of differing softness, and only work well once warmed into their operating temperature window. They are useless in the wet, where the lack of grooves means they cannot clear standing water and the car aquaplanes.
Related tyres terms
- Intermediate tyres — Grooved green-marked tyres for a damp or drying track — the crossover between slicks and full wets.
- Wet tyres — Deep-grooved blue-marked tyres for heavy rain, designed to clear standing water and resist aquaplaning.
- Tyre compounds (soft, medium, hard) — The dry tyre range from soft (fastest, wears quickest) to hard (most durable, less grip), chosen to suit the track.
- The C-range (C1–C5) — The tyre supplier's full library of dry compounds, from the hardest (C1) to the softest (C5), from which three are picked per race.
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Definition written in plain language from the current F1 sporting rules and common usage, current as of 14 August 2026. Unofficial; not affiliated with Formula 1.