The 2025 championship has not but begun, however ideas are already on 2026, with Pirelli exams persevering with and Mario Isola sharing intriguing insights. Right this moment and tomorrow, a number of groups will probably be at Montmeló for the primary exams of 2025, utilizing tailored vehicles which might 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 totally makes use of what the rules permit, which is 40 take a look at days. Particularly, these are 40 Automobile Days, as regulated, that means every day with one automotive counts as one. We have now tried to schedule a collection of periods on completely different tracks, each dry and moist, involving all groups. It’s because each workforce will create mule vehicles, guaranteeing rotation amongst all groups. This permits us to contemplate each high groups and midfield groups to seek out one of the best compromise.”
“Nonetheless, nothing has been finalized but. The primary periods happened within the second half of 2024. The actual downside is that we’re testing with vehicles which have fully completely different traits. Moreover, groups are nonetheless in a studying part with the brand new ideas. In follow, groups are serving to us with setup and gasoline load changes to get nearer to the brand new single-seaters. Nonetheless, simulating them is unimaginable—the aero package deal is totally completely different, as are the size, energy unit, and aerodynamics.”
“Regardless of this, we will get nearer—maybe by avoiding exams with 100 kg of gasoline and utilizing 70 kg as a substitute, to simulate the burden of the brand new single-seaters beneath 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 larger downforce. It isn’t simple, and in the mean time, nothing has been finalized—not the slick development, nor the design of the intermediate or moist tires. Every little thing 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 current days, we distributed the most recent 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 basic pointers for his or her growth. The FIA was involved that groups may use these exams to simulate features of the 2026 rules, however we want a automotive that’s as consultant as attainable.”
Supply: f1ingenerale