Ferrari has completed its two-day Pirelli 2027 tyre test at Imola, with Antonio Giovinazzi taking over the SF-26 on the final day and covering 135 laps. Ferrari and Racing Bulls continued evaluating the softer compounds being developed for the 2027 Formula 1 season, with dry conditions allowing both Italian teams to complete substantial mileage.
The second and final day of running at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit took place in dry conditions, with air and track temperatures relatively similar to those experienced on the opening day. Ferrari remained one of the main protagonists, while Racing Bulls also joined the programme as Pirelli continued development of the three softest compounds in its proposed 2027 range.
Antonio Giovinazzi completes 135 laps in Ferrari SF-26
Ferrari handed the SF-26 to reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi for the second day of the test. The Italian took over from Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who had driven the car on the opening day as Ferrari contributed to Pirelli’s development programme for next season.
Antonio Giovinazzi completed 135 laps around Imola, equivalent to 663 kilometres. That mileage came on top of the 623 kilometres covered by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on the previous day, taking Ferrari’s total across the two days to 1,286 kilometres.
The Ferrari reserve driver’s best lap was a 1:19.894. His programme was devoted exclusively to the C3 compound and included both qualifying simulations and race-pace runs, allowing Pirelli to gather information across different operating conditions and fuel loads.
The test also provided Ferrari with significant running at a circuit where car behaviour across different conditions can be closely assessed. Readers can explore previous winners, pole positions and other historical benchmarks through the F1 Circuit Records & Statistics section.
Racing Bulls tests Pirelli’s C3, C4 and C5 compounds
Racing Bulls split driving duties in the VCARB03 between its two regular drivers for the season, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Liam Lawson has competed for Red Bull in the last three Grands Prix after replacing the injured Isack Hadjar.
The New Zealander completed a number of performance runs on the C3 and C4 compounds during the morning before switching his attention to a series of long runs on the C4. Arvid Lindblad followed a similar programme when he took over in the afternoon, although his work involved the C3 and C5 compounds.
Liam Lawson completed 65 laps, covering 319 kilometres, and recorded a best time of 1:18.471. Arvid Lindblad added another 73 laps and 358 kilometres, with a fastest lap of 1:18.454.
Pirelli completes almost 2,000 kilometres of running at Imola
Across the two days of Pirelli testing at Imola, which also featured Ferrari race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on the opening day, a combined 400 laps were completed. That represented a total distance of 1,963 kilometres as Pirelli continued evaluating solutions for its 2027 Formula 1 tyre range.
The Imola programme focused on the softer end of Pirelli’s range, giving the tyre manufacturer data from qualifying-style performance runs as well as longer race simulations. The different programmes undertaken by Ferrari and Racing Bulls also allowed several of the proposed compounds to be evaluated during the final day.
Next 2027 Pirelli tyre test scheduled for Magny-Cours
Pirelli’s next Formula 1 tyre development test is scheduled for mid-October at the Magny-Cours circuit in France. The focus will move away from the dry-weather soft compounds evaluated at Imola and towards tyres designed for wet conditions.
Magny-Cours’ artificial track-watering system will be used during the test, enabling Pirelli to reproduce wet conditions in a controlled environment and evaluate new solutions intended for Formula 1’s wet-weather tyre range.
Leave a Reply