F1 testing: early feedback on the new Pirelli tyres
Mario Isola reviews the Pirelli tyres used during the Barcelona F1 tests: “Encouraging reliability and a new focus on energy management.”
The Barcelona test week offered the first real glimpse of the new technical era in Formula 1, marking a key step towards the official start of the 2026 season. At the end of the F1 tests, Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, analyzed the on-track data, emphasizing that these first days already provided valuable insights for teams and drivers, particularly regarding tyres.
“The Barcelona test week marks the start of a new era for Formula 1. The on-track sessions before the official Bahrain debut were extremely useful for both teams and drivers. They helped evaluate power unit reliability, but also to gain familiarity with battery energy management, which is set to play a central role,” Isola explained.
How Pirelli tyres performed on the new 2026 F1 cars
According to the Pirelli director, the overall picture emerging from Montmeló is encouraging. The new cars covered far more kilometres than initially expected, an important signal during such a delicate regulatory transition.
“The overall balance is definitely positive. The cars completed a high number of laps, perhaps more than anticipated, demonstrating good engine reliability,” Isola highlighted, stressing that the main priority of these tests was technical stability rather than outright performance.
From a tyre perspective, the feedback gathered by Pirelli confirms the effectiveness of the choices made for this first phase of testing. At Barcelona, the three hardest slick compounds were made available. “The three hardest slicks provided to the teams performed as expected, delivering convincing performance even under cold conditions,” Mario Isola explained.
Pirelli and the Barcelona F1 tests: tyre feedback
The only exception was the C3, the softest compound. “Only the C3 showed a bit of graining on the front-left tyre, a known phenomenon at Barcelona, and mainly related to the low temperatures.”
One of the most interesting aspects highlighted during the tests is the impact of energy management on driver behaviour, particularly during preparation for flying laps. “Considering weekends with low temperatures or on less demanding tracks, it will be interesting to see how the need to preserve battery charge affects drivers’ approach on the out-lap,” Mario Isola observed.
According to Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, a change in approach has already been noticeable. “We have seen a more conservative approach in favour of the ERS, which could also change the way drivers prepare for qualifying flying laps.”
Attention now turns to the official tests in Bahrain, which will offer conditions closer to those of an actual race and cars nearer to their final configuration. “The data we will collect in Bahrain will certainly be more representative, as the cars will be closer to what we will see in Melbourne, and temperatures will be more similar to race conditions,” Mario Isola concluded.
There is still some uncertainty compared to simulations. “Compared to simulations, we still notice discrepancies in performance and loads.” These are normal indications at this stage, but they make the upcoming tests even more anticipated as teams approach the first race of Formula 1’s new era.
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