Pirelli’s tyre development programme for the 2026 Formula 1 season officially began today at the Hungaroring, with three teams—McLaren, Racing Bulls and Alpine—completing an intensive testing session focused on evaluating new tyre compounds. The test, held just after the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, was designed to compare the C3, C4 and C5 prototype compounds under real track conditions.
Estonian driver Paul Aron, driving for Alpine, set the fastest lap time of the day, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson. The session marked the first of two planned days of testing, which will continue tomorrow with additional drivers, including Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Alpine’s race drivers Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly.
Today’s running was held in ambient air temperatures ranging between 21 and 31 degrees Celsius, with track surface temperatures fluctuating between 29 and 56 degrees Celsius. These conditions provided a useful spectrum for Pirelli to test the performance of the compounds across varying levels of grip and heat.
The teams used mule cars—modified versions of previous Formula 1 chassis—specially adapted to fit the new 2026-specification tyres. While the rim size remains 18 inches, the new tyres are narrower than current ones: 25 mm less at the front and 30 mm less at the rear. McLaren conducted the test with the MCL60, their 2023 race car. Racing Bulls ran with the VCARB 01, the car used during the 2024 season, and Alpine modified an A525 to serve as their test platform.
In the morning session, the focus was on short runs to evaluate the individual performance levels of each compound. Drivers completed a series of brief stints to help Pirelli understand the initial grip and balance characteristics of the new tyres. In the afternoon, the testing transitioned to longer runs, simulating full race stints to gather data on degradation, thermal performance, and consistency over distance.
Paul Aron, who had also driven for Sauber as a rookie during the previous Grand Prix weekend, impressed by topping the timesheets with a best lap of 1’18’’789. Lando Norris followed closely with a time of 1’19’’272, while Liam Lawson posted a best of 1’19’’510. Aron also completed the highest number of laps, running 159 in total. Norris logged 144 laps, while Lawson completed 143. Each of the three drivers covered a distance equivalent to more than two full Grand Prix races, helping Pirelli gather an extensive amount of valuable data for analysis.
Testing will continue tomorrow at the same circuit. Alpine will return to the track with both of its full-time drivers—Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly—taking turns behind the wheel of the modified A523 mule car. Meanwhile, Scuderia Ferrari will join the testing action, with Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc driving a specially adapted SF-25. These sessions are expected to provide further crucial insights as Pirelli continues to fine-tune the design and performance characteristics of its tyres ahead of the major regulation changes coming in 2026.
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