The 2025 championship has not but begun, however ideas are already on 2026, with Pirelli exams persevering with and Mario Isola sharing intriguing insights. As we speak and tomorrow, a number of groups will likely be at Montmeló for the primary exams of 2025, utilizing tailored automobiles which can be nonetheless removed from the 2026 ideas. We mentioned this with Mario Isola, who shared unique particulars with F1inGenerale concerning the ongoing exams and challenges.
In 2025, there’ll nonetheless be a number of check days. How is the event of the brand new tires progressing?
“We now have a check program that totally makes use of what the laws permit, which is 40 check days. Particularly, these are 40 Automobile Days, as regulated, which means every day with one automobile counts as one. We now have tried to schedule a collection of classes on totally different tracks, each dry and moist, involving all groups. It is because each group will create mule automobiles, 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 classes befell within the second half of 2024. The true downside is that we’re testing with automobiles which have utterly totally 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 gas load changes to get nearer to the brand new single-seaters. Nonetheless, simulating them is inconceivable—the aero package deal is totally totally different, as are the size, energy unit, and aerodynamics.”
“Regardless of this, we will get nearer—maybe by avoiding exams with 100 kg of gas 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 12 months it would even be on the entrance wing. We’re testing with Monza-style wings at Montmeló or on circuits requiring increased downforce. It’s not simple, and in the mean time, nothing has been finalized—not the slick building, nor the design of the intermediate or moist tires. All the things continues to be a piece in progress, however the first objective is clearly to lock within the building, which is step one, after which we’ll work on the compound vary.”
Digital Simulation Essential for the 2026 Pirellis
When requested concerning the growing significance of digital fashions in trendy F1, Mario Isola added the next:
“Correlation work is essential, and simply in current days, we distributed the newest digital mannequin of the 2026 tires to the groups. It’s an ongoing course of, however the mule automobiles differ from one another, because the FIA solely supplied normal tips for his or her improvement. The FIA was involved that groups may use these exams to simulate facets of the 2026 laws, however we want a automobile that’s as consultant as potential.”
Supply: f1ingenerale