The 2025 championship has not but begun, however ideas are already on 2026, with Pirelli exams persevering with and Mario Isola sharing intriguing insights. At the moment and tomorrow, a number of groups will probably be at Montmeló for the primary exams of 2025, utilizing tailored vehicles which can be nonetheless removed from the 2026 ideas. We mentioned this with Mario Isola, who shared unique particulars with F1inGenerale in regards to the ongoing exams and challenges.
In 2025, there’ll nonetheless be a number of take a look at days. How is the event of the brand new tires progressing?
“We have now a take a look at program that absolutely makes use of what the laws permit, which is 40 take a look at days. Particularly, these are 40 Automobile Days, as regulated, which means every day with one automotive counts as one. We have now tried to schedule a collection of periods on totally different tracks, each dry and moist, involving all groups. It is because each crew will create mule vehicles, making certain rotation amongst all groups. This enables us to contemplate each high groups and midfield groups to seek out the most effective compromise.”
“Nevertheless, nothing has been finalized but. The primary periods befell within the second half of 2024. The true downside is that we’re testing with vehicles which have utterly totally different traits. Moreover, groups are nonetheless in a studying part with the brand new ideas. In apply, groups are serving to us with setup and gasoline load changes to get nearer to the brand new single-seaters. Nevertheless, simulating them is inconceivable—the aero bundle is completely totally different, as are the scale, energy unit, and aerodynamics.”
“Regardless of this, we are able to get nearer—maybe by avoiding exams with 100 kg of gasoline and utilizing 70 kg as an alternative, to simulate the load of the brand new single-seaters underneath race circumstances. Moreover, we’re aerodynamically restricted, as the present DRS solely acts on the rear wing, whereas subsequent yr it’ll even be on the entrance wing. We’re testing with Monza-style wings at Montmeló or on circuits requiring increased downforce. It isn’t simple, and in the meanwhile, nothing has been finalized—not the slick development, nor the design of the intermediate or moist tires. All the pieces remains to be a piece in progress, however the first objective is clearly to lock within the development, which is step one, after which we are going to work on the compound vary.”
Digital Simulation Essential for the 2026 Pirellis
When requested in regards to the rising significance of digital fashions in trendy F1, Mario Isola added the next:
“Correlation work is essential, and simply in latest days, we distributed the newest digital mannequin of the 2026 tires to the groups. It’s an ongoing course of, however the mule vehicles differ from one another, because the FIA solely offered common pointers for his or her improvement. The FIA was involved that groups may use these exams to simulate features of the 2026 laws, however we want a automotive that’s as consultant as potential.”
Supply: f1ingenerale