Pirelli and Ferrari were at Mugello to study the 2026 F1 tires. Charles Leclerc and Guanyu Zhou tested the wet-weather compounds on the SF-25 mule car. Interestingly, unlike Haas, the Maranello team modified the current season’s car specifically for this type of testing. However, adverse weather conditions prevented any data collection on dry compounds.
Opportunity to test 2026 wet tires
The Italian tire manufacturer does not yet have a car compliant with the upcoming regulations, so it can only provide teams with some indications to approximate the behavior of next-generation cars. It is therefore clear that on-track testing provides information that must be interpreted cautiously. Mario Isola’s team has already faced this challenge in the past.
It is a particularly tricky scenario, where the FIA does not provide real support. In this context, Pirelli is forced to develop new products relying more heavily on virtual simulations. Undoubtedly, considering that nearly everything will change under the next technical regulations, the FIA could have built a car following the 2026 rules.
However, this investment was evidently deemed unnecessary, as Pirelli is expected to achieve the demanding objectives. Although heavy rain disrupted plans for testing dry tires, the session provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate the new range of wet compounds. Last May, Mario Isola explained that one of the goals for the upcoming season was to create a less extreme full wet tire.
This tire is intended to serve as a valid alternative to intermediates when the water on track is not sufficient to neutralize the session. The current full wet tire is rarely used because teams know that the inability to drive on the existing intermediates is enough to suspend a practice session, qualifying, or race.
Executing the backup plan
Yesterday’s program included comparative tests among various options of the hardest compounds in the range, but intermittent yet heavy rain significantly reduced the time available for using slicks. According to Pirelli, the backup plan was executed, carrying out several runs with intermediates and one session with extreme wet tires.
In the morning, Charles Leclerc completed only 25 laps, all on intermediates, with a fastest time of 1’34”914. In the afternoon, Guanyu Zhou ran on both intermediates and extreme wet tires, finishing with a couple of laps on slicks. Zhou completed 75 laps in total, with a fastest time of 1’22”012. According to Mario Isola, the next step will be to analyze the data collected in Tuscany and cross-reference it with previous sessions.
It must be emphasized once again that this type of scenario highlights the enormous effort of the Italian tire manufacturer with minimal resources. While Pirelli, as the sole tire supplier, often faces criticism, the work it has carried out over the past 15 years is truly remarkable. This is especially impressive considering that it has to continuously meet demands and create tailor-made products that do not exist on paper, with a series of extremely high-level technical specifications. Chapeau.
The next test is scheduled for the days following the Mexico City Grand Prix. Track testing is necessary to finalize the versions to be homologated. According to the Italian manager, the only positive aspect of the two-day Mugello session was being able to test wet-weather products on a highly demanding circuit, while gathering valuable data for the medium- and long-term development of tires.
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