Pirelli completed another F1 2026 tyre test in Hungary this time with Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine and Visa Cash App RB drivers in action.
Day 1 –
This morning a new Pirelli test session got underway at the Hungaroring, centred on development of the 2026 tyres. Taking part were the McLaren, Racing Bulls and Alpine teams. On a day marked by ambient temperatures ranging between 21°C and 31°C and track temperatures between 29°C and 56°C, the day’s programme focused on a comparison of various prototypes of the C3, C4 and C5 compounds. In the morning, the drivers carried out short runs to check the performance level of each of these, before switching to longer runs in the afternoon to observe their behaviour over longer distances.
The three teams all ran mule cars, adapted to fit the dimensions of the 2026 tyres which, while retaining the 18” diameter, are 25 mm narrower at the front and 30 at the rear. McLaren and Alpine’s cars were based on their 2023 model, while Racing Bulls used one from last season. All three drivers on track today had also been at the wheel over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend: McLaren fielded race winner Lando Norris, in the Racing Bulls was Liam Lawson, while Paul Aron, who had driven in the first free practice session last Friday for Sauber, was behind the wheel of the Alpine.
As for lap times and distances completed, Paul Aron was quickest in 1’18’’789, followed by Lando Norris (1’19’’272) and Liam Lawson (1’19’’510) completing 159, 144 and 143 laps respectively. Testing continues tomorrow, when Alpine’s current line-up of Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly will both drive the A525. They will be joined by Charles Leclerc at the wheel of a modified Ferrari SF-25.
Day 2 –
The second and final day of development tests for the 2026 tyres took place today at the Hungaroring where Alpine and Scuderia Ferrari supported Pirelli in this delicate work. It was again hot today – between 21 and 29 °C air temperatures, 31 and 53 °C track temperatures – with a similar programme of testing to yesterday. The two drivers at work today – Franco Colapinto for the French team and Charles Leclerc for the Italian team – had a morning plan including short distance comparisons of different prototypes of compounds from C3 to C5 to check their level of overall performance. Then the afternoon was due to focus on long runs to check their performance over longer distances; at this stage, a version of the C2 was also tested over a long run.
The two teams both took to the track with mule cars – which had been adapted to fit the tyres with the 2026 measurements (still with an 18” diameter but 25 mm narrower at the front and 30 mm narrower at the rear) – and both using cars based on the chassis that they are using this season. Unfortunately the programme was only partially completed because Alpine was forced to interrupt the test when Colapinto went off the track in the first part of the morning session.
The car suffered damage which meant that he was unable to return to the track before the end of the session. Up to that moment the Argentine driver had completed 25 laps, with a fastest time of 1’20”270. By contrast Leclerc was able to complete a full programme, ending the day with a total of 144 laps and a fastest time of 1’19’’407.
“These have been two useful days for making progress with the development of our compounds for next season, given that we are now entering the home straight,” said Mario Isola, the head of Pirelli Motorsport. “The Hungaroring is a demanding track due to its many slow curves and the amount of energy that goes into the tyres on a lap that is rather short. This makes it a challenging place to test tyres, in particular for the compounds that will be central to the 2026 range – which will go from C1 to C6 like this year.
“We have collected a lot of data, although it was a pity that we lost some of our potential mileage today when Colapinto went off the track, even though this was not in any way linked to the tyres. As for construction, we have verified our final solutions as far as homologation is concerned, ahead of the regulations coming on September 1. By contrast we now have three further test sessions – in Monza, Mugello and Mexico City – to conclude the development of the compounds, whose homologation is due on December 15.”
Additional note from Pirelli on Colapinto: “During Day 2 of Pirelli Tyre Testing at the Hungaroring this morning, Franco Colapinto had an incident at Turn 11. Franco was assessed on site at the medical centre and is OK.”
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[The story is as per press release]
