Formula 1 remained at the Yas Marina Circuit after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the final track outing of 2025, but the focus has already shifted decisively toward the future. As part of the post-season schedule, teams not only fielded a rookie in their current cars, but were also allowed to run specially adapted mule cars. These modified machines are being used to help Pirelli develop the brand-new tyres planned for the radically different 2026 regulations.
The next generation of Formula 1 cars will mark a dramatic departure from the current ground-effect designs. The 2026 machines will be lighter, generate significantly less aerodynamic load, and rely on a new form of active aerodynamics. Reproducing these characteristics on a 2025 chassis is far from simple, which is why the FIA has authorised teams to make structural changes to help Pirelli and the series evaluate how the new tyres behave.
Some outfits, most notably Ferrari and Mercedes, have adapted their front wings so that the final flap can be raised using a hydraulic actuator. This simulates one of the standout innovations coming in 2026: a movable front wing designed to reduce drag on the straights. Although the behaviour is not identical to what will be seen next year—especially as all teams are using ultra-low-downforce Monza-style wings to mimic the reduced load target—it still provides Pirelli with crucial information.
This technical divide between teams has created a unique requirement for the Abu Dhabi tyre test. Mule cars without a movable front wing must comply with a speed limit imposed directly by Pirelli. The reason is straightforward: even with Monza-spec wings, once those cars exceed a certain speed threshold, they produce more aerodynamic load than the 2026 regulations will allow. That additional load skews the behaviour of the tyres and makes the data irrelevant for development.
“None of us have the possibility of replicating next year’s straight-line mode with these cars,” explained Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Head of Motorsport. “So we had to discuss certain restrictions such as a speed limiter, the aerodynamic level and the fuel load on board, in order to simulate the weight we will have next year.” He added that these limits were necessary to create the most realistic possible approximation of 2026 performance levels.
Mario Isola also stressed the importance of consistency between teams: “We agreed on some common approaches so that our test sessions are comparable. We are testing with different mule cars from different teams, but at the end of the day we need feedback that remains coherent—otherwise we lose the progress.”
The 2026 cars will introduce active aerodynamics both at the front and rear, with regulated openings controlled according to FIA guidelines. By contrast, most mule cars used this week—and during earlier tyre tests—feature only the traditional DRS on the rear wing. Without an active element on the front wing, these cars cannot reduce front downforce on the straights, which creates a substantial aerodynamic imbalance.
This imbalance means that above a certain speed, the tyres operate in a load and temperature window that does not reflect what the 2026 cars will generate. For that reason, Pirelli has implemented a test-only speed limit (applicable solely to the Yas Marina sessions and not to future race weekends). The cap helps reduce vertical forces on the tyres, which in turn limits heat build-up and prevents unrealistic running conditions during the evaluation.
Although the impact may seem small on a straight, Pirelli noted that several circuits on the F1 calendar feature extremely long full-throttle sections—some more than a kilometre—where tyres can lose over 30°C in temperature, as happens in Baku. Tracks like Yas Marina, which use relatively soft compounds, are especially useful for recreating these conditions during testing.
With the switch to active front-wing aerodynamics coming in 2026, these effects will become even more pronounced. Reducing drag at the front will naturally reduce the load placed on the tyres, meaning the energy they generate will be lower, and cornering speeds are expected to drop—at least in the first year of the regulations.
For Ferrari and Mercedes, both of which have developed dedicated active-style front wings with hydraulic actuators, no speed restriction is necessary. Their systems allow Pirelli to gather much more representative aerodynamic and tyre data for next season.
“It is a useful system for us too,” Isola said. “It allows us to compare the cars using this movable front wing with those that do not. When we ran the test with Ferrari using this adjustable front wing, it was very helpful. It allowed us to understand and compare the load levels and made the whole test more representative.”
The Abu Dhabi session therefore completes an important phase of tyre research for the 2026 regulations. While not every team could replicate next year’s aerodynamic concept perfectly, the restrictions and technical solutions in place ensured that Pirelli gathered coherent, meaningful data ahead of the sport’s biggest technical reset in years.
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