The teams Mercedes, McLaren, and Alpine were able to test their Formula 1 vehicles for the 2026 season this week on European circuits, aiming to improve the performance of their cars.
Mercedes and McLaren participated in a Pirelli test at the Nürburgring, where all four drivers took part in the action. On Tuesday, George Russell completed 127 laps, while Oscar Piastri was limited to 65 due to a technical issue. On Wednesday, Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader, and Lando Norris completed 109 and 108 laps respectively.
The focus of the tests was mainly on the different variants of the C3 compound, while softer compounds were also tested. Norris described the test as “very productive” and emphasized the importance of providing useful information to Pirelli about tire development.
Moreover, McLaren had not competed at the Nürburgring since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, and Piastri had not raced there since his victory in the 2019 Eurocup of Formula Renault. Antonelli was the most recent competitor at the circuit, with two podiums in the 2022 ADAC F4 season.
Discussing the benefits of the test, Piastri stated that, although changes to the cars cannot be made during these tests, it is always important to ensure everything is functioning correctly and to gain a better understanding of the vehicle in the context of the new regulations.
Additionally, Alpine conducted its second “filming day” of the season at Silverstone, with Franco Colapinto at the wheel. These types of tests, limited to 200 km, have a promotional character and use demonstration tires provided by Pirelli.
Although all teams can participate in Pirelli tests, the results and data obtained are shared with the entire grid. Last week, Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari also participated in a test at Fiorano, focusing on tires for wet conditions where Hamilton completed 297 laps.
The next Pirelli test will take place in mid-May at Magny-Cours, also focused on tires for rainy conditions.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
