Pirelli completes half an Earth lap during Bahrain F1 pre-season test. Pirelli tyres covered more than 20,000 km — over half the Earth’s circumference.

The first Formula 1 test session in Bahrain concluded this afternoon, marking an important step in preparations for the 2026 season. For the three days of running at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Pirelli selected only three compounds: the C1, C2 and C3 — the hardest tyres in the range and the same compounds expected to be available during the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Next week, teams will also test the C4 and C5 compounds, which are still awaiting their full competitive debut in 2026. In Barcelona, as in Sakhir, only the three hardest compounds were made available.

Isola satisfied: “The tests confirm the strong development work carried out last year”

Formula 1 is only at the beginning of its new regulatory era, but Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, Mario Isola, expressed satisfaction with the development work completed over the past year in preparation for the major changes.

“These first three days of testing in Sakhir have confirmed, just as happened in Barcelona, that the data collected during last year’s development tests with the mule cars is sufficiently representative. The characteristics of the compounds appear to be in line with expectations, and the feedback received from the drivers is also positive. We have observed good mechanical resistance from the compounds. The occurrence of graining has been limited, and the overheating issue seems to be under control.”

While the data is undoubtedly encouraging, Mario Isola stressed that final conclusions can only be drawn once drivers begin pushing the cars to their absolute limits.

“We are still in an experimental phase for the drivers, as they are continuing to adapt to the new power delivery systems. The presence of some flat spots can suggest that drivers have changed their approach to cornering. The electric deployment tends to cause rear axle slip on corner exit, increasing the surface temperature of the tyres and leading to a slight loss of grip,” the Italian manager explained.

“Next week we expect to see improvements in car performance, even though teams will not yet reveal their full potential. Only at the end of testing will we have a clearer picture of what to expect at the start of the season. The data we gather will allow us to define the tyre nomination for the Miami Grand Prix (1–3 May), the first event for which we have not yet sent our selections to the teams. The choices for Sakhir and Jeddah, which take place before the United States round, are also still to be finalized,” he concluded.

Nearly 21,000 km completed — more than half the Earth’s circumference

Over the three days of running at the Bahrain International Circuit, the entire Formula 1 field completed a combined total of 20,673 kilometres. To put that into perspective, the Earth’s circumference measures approximately 40,000 kilometres — meaning that in just three days, the 2026 F1 cars covered more than half the distance of a full lap around the planet.

Of the total distance, 51% was completed on the C3 compound, which is expected to be the most frequently used tyre throughout the season. A total of 144 sets of C3 were used, compared to 79 sets of C2 and 42 sets of C1, highlighting the central role of the C3 in early-season performance analysis.