Ferrari helps Pirelli with the preparations for the 2026 Formula 1 championship. As the summer sun warmed the track surface of the iconic Fiorano circuit on Friday, Charles Leclerc completed the final day of testing dedicated to the development of wet-weather tyres for next season. He did so with the SF-25, modified to accommodate the new, narrower tyres. The aerodynamic setup was also adjusted to approximate future configurations.
Within this context, lap times were also discussed, both before the track was artificially flooded and after, when water was indeed present on the track owned by the Prancing Horse. These track conditions aimed to simulate a scenario and validate certain tyre behaviours with cars that, despite all efforts, are not the 2026 Formula 1 models.
It was a positive outcome, but with reservations. Mario Isola, director of Pirelli Motorsport, offered a first assessment at the end of the session. The Italian manager seemed moderately optimistic. In addition to thanking the historic Italian team for both the use of the track and its willingness to participate, the head of the Italian tyre manufacturer showed a certain awareness in his technical report on the day.
Reproducing certain scenarios with the proper level of consistency is always rather complicated when it comes to wet tracks. Moreover, temperatures that are far from those of actual race conditions greatly affect the tests being carried out. This is an admission that won’t surprise anyone familiar with the technical dynamics of modern Formula 1 and the myriad associated challenges.
The cars used in this type of testing, though suitably modified, are not truly capable of reproducing the aerodynamic load and behaviour of the single-seaters we will see in the 2026 Formula 1 campaign. And this opens up a couple of legitimate questions: how predictive are these tests, really? And why hasn’t the FIA built some prototype cars based on the 2026 regulations? It would have made everything easier.
The 2026 rules, with their push toward energy efficiency and aerodynamic agility, will shape a profoundly different Formula 1. In this scenario, current tests can certainly provide a starting point, but as mentioned, they remain inevitably far from the final picture. It is a technical paradox that Pirelli knows all too well, as they have always had to operate this way. They are tasked with developing an essential component, namely the tyres, without being able to test them on the cars for which they are actually designed. A “peculiarity” that could be addressed more effectively, especially if the International Federation offered more support. And yet, from this difficulty arises a fascinating engineering challenge for Pirelli, which deserves credit for the work it has done in recent years.
The Formula 1 tyre supplier makes a virtue out of necessity, as the saying goes. A point confirmed by Mario Isola himself. This is the great compromise of those who, in the top tier of motorsport, are forced to anticipate the future without having yet seen it. A truly extreme situation, but one that this Italian excellence has always managed with great success.
From a performance standpoint, lap times are certainly not the key metric. The goal of these sessions was to understand the operational window of the tyres and ensure more consistent behaviour in changing conditions. Pirelli aims to provide teams with a product that, in 2026, will be more predictable, versatile and, if possible, less susceptible to the whims of a damp track. After all, this has been seen repeatedly: full wet tyres are rarely used and are often quickly abandoned in favour of intermediates. A problem of efficiency and adaptability that has long remained unresolved. To be frank, Isola’s statement reflects complete transparency. Yet it also reveals a truth that Formula 1 often tends to underestimate.
This refers to the structural difficulty of simulating realistic wet conditions, which makes every development effort little more than a gamble. Pirelli is doing its utmost with the tools available, but the absence of tests with real 2026 cars remains a technical gap that will only be closed over time. This is not the fault of the Milan-based supplier, but rather a consequence of a system increasingly constrained by strict regulations and economic limitations.
Fortunately, the development path does not stop. The week after the British Grand Prix, slick tyres will be tested at the beautiful and iconic Silverstone circuit. A classic but very demanding proving ground, where high speeds and medium-to-high load corners can provide more precise insights into the performance of the new tyres in dry conditions.
But even there, the results will have to be interpreted with caution. The real assessment will only come when the new single-seaters hit the track for the pre-season testing session ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 championship. And who knows whether, in the meantime, the technical dialogue between teams, the FIA and Pirelli will become more direct, more dynamic and less constrained by practices that now seem outdated. That would be an important step forward to make life easier for everyone.
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