Ferrari is once again ready to test its car on track with Pirelli. For the second time in a week, thanks to Testing of Previous Cars programmes, Ferrari has the opportunity to enhance its know-how with the red car. A few kilometers to get familiar with the team while awaiting the start of the championship. In a recent interview, former Red Bull engineer Adrian Newey described the upcoming season’s technical regulations as the most significant revolution he has witnessed in his long career in Formula 1.
The reason lies in the fact that nothing from the current generation of cars will carry over to the new generation vehicles. Unlike the 2022 regulations, which reintroduced ground effect while retaining continuity in power units, the 2026 rules will not follow this pattern. The contribution of the electric component in the power units will be tripled, and the MGU-H will be retired.
Technical and political reasons have led to a new architecture for the V6 turbo-hybrid engines, necessitating highly invasive aero-mechanical modifications for next-generation cars. In this context, one often overlooked aspect is the impact of the new Pirelli tires, which will also undergo significant changes. Next year, Pirelli’s tires will still use 18-inch rims, despite initial discussions about switching to 16-inch rims.
However, the tread width will be reduced by 25 millimeters at the front and 30 millimeters at the rear. The goal is clear: tires are one of the components that generate the most rolling resistance, and reducing their frontal section will significantly improve aerodynamic efficiency. As seen in 2016 and 2021, the tire supplier will have to develop a new product without having a car in the target configuration. This challenge is something Pirelli has successfully addressed in the past.
They accomplished this by relying on simulations and track tests with appropriately modified cars from the previous generation. On-track testing began last year at the Montmeló circuit in September with Aston Martin, using their 2022 car modified to replicate, as closely as possible, the behavior of future cars that will incorporate active aerodynamics. This is no easy task, but it can greatly assist the Italian tire manufacturer in achieving its goals.
Pirelli’s testing of tires for the next regulatory era will continue at Montmeló, Spain, on February 4 and 5. On those days, Ferrari and the reigning world champions, McLaren, will participate. These tests are meticulously regulated under paragraph 10.10 of the sporting regulations, which governs cars known as “mule cars”. According to the rules, only cars that participated in the World Championship during one of the four calendar years preceding the current year can be used.
A key factor is explicitly stated in the sporting regulations: during this type of test, the use of experimental parts, test software, or component modifications that provide a competitor with information not strictly related to tire testing is strictly prohibited. Software and component modifications are allowed only if necessary for the proper evaluation of test elements or to complete the testing program, and, in any case, must be approved by the International Federation before being implemented.
In essence, the sporting regulations aim to govern these tests so that they cannot provide insights unrelated to their intended purpose. The major challenge of these track tests concerns the approximation of the load levels of the 2026 cars. This value is estimated using cars that derive over 50% of their total downforce from the floor. To this end, in previous tests, teams have adjusted the setup of their mule cars and increased the use of the drag reduction system during laps, not just in the traditional activation zones.
The goal is to balance the load between the front and rear axles. Ferrari is preparing to field its two main drivers over the two-day test, as well as the motorsport division that competed for the Constructors’ Championship last season. The SF-24 has been suitably modified to “fit” the new Pirelli tires. For the historic Italian team, this will also be an opportunity to continue acclimating Lewis Hamilton to methods and working procedures different from those he mastered during his long tenure with the Silver Arrows.
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