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Ferrari and Pirelli Conduct Successful Tyre Test at Barcelona
This week, Lewis Hamilton returned to the track with Ferrari at the Pirelli Formula 1 tyre test held at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Charles Leclerc emerged as the fastest driver overall during the sessions.
As Formula 1 prepares for a significant shift in technical regulations slated for 2026, cars will be smaller and lighter, affecting tyre dimensions as well. Specifically, the front tyres will narrow by 25mm, while the rear tyres will reduce by 30mm. Although the wheel size remains unchanged, the new tyres will have a slightly reduced diameter, prompting Pirelli to test various prototypes in anticipation of these changes.
Pirelli conducted a two-day test in Barcelona, following another recent session at Circuit Paul Ricard with McLaren, where wet and intermediate tyres were evaluated. In Spain, Ferrari pilots Hamilton and Leclerc shared driving duties in the SF-24, while McLaren’s Lando Norris drove the MCL60, both cars modified to align more closely with upcoming 2026 specifications.
This test marked Hamilton’s return after a crash on the same circuit that limited Ferrari’s track time and Leclerc’s mileage last week. According to Pirelli’s press release, this testing session focused on developing slick tyres, with a particular emphasis on exploring various combinations of construction and compounds, primarily from the harder range (C1 to C3), which are well-suited for the demanding Spanish circuit.
On Tuesday, the trio of drivers completed an impressive total of 332 laps, with Norris leading with 159 laps, while Leclerc and Hamilton recorded 86 and 87 laps respectively. Norris set a quick lap with a time of 1m15.215s, followed by Hamilton at 1m15.930s and Leclerc at 1m16.060s.
On Wednesday, Oscar Piastri stepped in as the McLaren driver, managing 152 laps, while Leclerc and Hamilton each added 74 laps to their totals. The two days of testing yielded a substantial total of 2,943 kilometers of data for Pirelli’s engineers to analyze. Leclerc clocked the fastest time for the session with a 1m14.971s lap, while Piastri and Hamilton recorded times of 1m15.815s and 1m16.759s, respectively. However, Pirelli emphasized that these lap times lacked significant comparative value due to differing testing focuses among the teams.
Pirelli’s motorsport director, Mario Isola, commented on the importance of the sessions, stating, “It was a very useful session, particularly for comparing different constructions for next season and experimenting with compounds from the harder end of the range.” He noted that the Barcelona track is especially challenging for tyres regarding energy exertion and degradation, making the insights from this test vital for future tyre development.
Looking ahead, Pirelli aims to continue the 2026-spec tyre testing program on February 13-14 at Jerez, with Alpine participating for two days while McLaren and Mercedes will each have one day on track. Another session is scheduled for March 2-3 in Bahrain, coinciding with the pre-season testing, where Alpine and Williams will also take part.
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