Revealed: The peculiar set-up trick Pirelli is using for F1 2026 tyre tests

Pirelli’s F1 2026 tyre test programme is underway, with a peculiar set-up idea needed to make the initial tests more representative.

With a revolutionary technical rulebook on the way for the F1 2026 championship, Pirelli has developed new prototype tyre compounds and constructions and has begun the test programme to improve the product.

Pirelli’s first F1 2026 tyre test held in Barcelona

The first F1 2026 tyre test was held in Barcelona in the week of the Singapore Grand Prix, with Aston Martin sending along a modified AMR22 to run the new wheels – while the 18″ rim diameter remains the same for 2026, the width and external diameter of the tyres will be slightly smaller on both axles.

Another consideration is that the aerodynamic loads of the 2026 cars are expected to be lower than the current machines but, with no cars yet built to those regulations, Pirelli have had to get clever about how to try simulating these conditions.

To that end, Aston Martin’s Felipe Drugovich, who carried out the two-day test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, drove with his DRS open to reduce the rear downforce of the car. He completed over 1300 kilometres of laps over two days.

“The main topic was to understand the mechanical balance and the aero balance of the car,” Pirelli boss Mario Isola said in Singapore about the test.

“So, for example, we decided to run always with the DRS open in order to compensate the front and rear load and then they made some adjustments obviously to the set-up of the car, to balance the car properly.

“But the new size is working well. We didn’t find any issue in running or any, like, a lot of graining or other elements that could affect the test. So we are happy with this first test and we’re ready for the next two sessions.”

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Given the test programme will continue through 2025, Pirelli will need to keep using modified mule cars – and the initial tests will also be used to help with the correlation of the real on-track data versus the simulations to figure out the baseline for 2026’s performance.

As a result, the DRS being left open for the initial tests will be one of the tricks used in order to simulate 2026 loading as closely as possible.

“Our main job was to try to correlate simulations with the mule car,” Isola said.

“We know that mule cars cannot be representative considering that 2026 cars are completely different, but I believe we did a good job and thanks to Aston Martin, which was the first team running the test, [we got] valuable information and probably also a good starting point as a baseline for future development.”

The testing programme will step up through F1 2025, with the test plan yet to be clarified. All the teams will be given the opportunity to test, provided they have a suitable mule car available to run the new tyres.

The plan for this year includes a two-day test for McLaren at Mugello this week, with Lando Norris behind the wheel of a mule car. However, the first day – Tuesday – was rained out to the point of the Italian circuit being undrivable. This restricted his running, meaning catch-up work will be carried out on Wednesday, weather permitting.

Alongside Norris’ 2026 tyre development, Red Bull is running Liam Lawson and Ferrari runs Charles Leclerc for F1 2025 tyre compound development.

One more 2026 test is planned before season end, with Alpine set to carry out the programme.

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