Lower downforce setups and DRS: how Pirelli is testing 2026 F1 tires
Today at 09:36 AM
The 2024 Formula 1 season is entering its final phase, with six race weekends left in what has been a global battle with much to tell. However, as the championship draws to a close, attention is also turning to the future: teams are already working on next year's cars, and Pirelli is engaged on two fronts—defining the 2025 tires and studying the tires for 2026, when Formula 1 will undergo a technical revolution.
Pirelli is active on both fronts, having tested the first prototypes for the next technical cycle last September with Aston Martin in Barcelona. The main goal was not only to check the quality of the first prototypes but also to verify the correlation of the simulations with the mule car, as it will be difficult to replicate how the load will be developed with the future cars.
In fact, the 2026 cars will no longer rely on ground effect as a key element of performance and downforce generation, but will introduce active aerodynamics to adapt to the low-drag requirements of the future power units. From this perspective, the tires will also play a role: the diameter will remain unchanged at 18 inches, but the dimensions will be slightly revised to reduce weight and have a smaller surface exposed to the wind, thus reducing aerodynamic impact.
While the FIA has worked to address concerns raised by teams after the first draft was presented, Pirelli has continued testing its prototypes, especially since a year may seem long, but there is much to do behind the scenes to be in the best possible condition. In addition to virtual tire preparation using factory systems that allow for experimentation without hitting the track, it is also crucial to have real-world data. That's why Pirelli has had a set number of days for testing its products this year, which will increase to 40 days next year with all teams.
As in the past, when Pirelli was preparing for the 2017 tire revolution with larger, heavier tires, as well as the 2022 tires, which featured different sizing, teams can modify cars to assist the Milan-based company during development. In 2017, for example, teams were allowed to use larger rear wings and create aerodynamic devices to simulate the higher loads of the new regulations, while for 2022, teams modified suspensions to adapt to the requirements of the 18-inch wheels.
For the 2026 tests, the FIA has approved the use of modified cars using chassis built under the technical regulations from any of the four seasons prior to the current one, i.e., from 2020 to 2023. This includes cars from before the introduction of ground effect, which, in some respects, should more closely resemble the future regulations. Starting from this known base, teams have been able to make modifications to adapt the cars to Pirelli's needs.
However, the Italian company itself has also adapted its working methods to what should be some of the characteristics of the 2026 cars. For example, they have chosen to use DRS and lower downforce setups to try to simulate the downforce values expected in the future: “The main objective was to understand the mechanical and aerodynamic balance of the car. So, for example, we decided to always run with the DRS open to compensate for front and rear load, and then we made some adjustments, of course, to the car’s setup to balance it correctly,” explained Mario Isola regarding the work done with Aston Martin during the first on-track test of the 2026 tires.
"But the new size is working well. We have not encountered any functional problems or other elements that could affect the test. So we are satisfied with this first test and ready for the upcoming sessions." – the Italian manager added.
For instance, during the first test in Barcelona, Aston Martin used the 2022 car, and indeed, the wings used (photo on the left) are lower in downforce than those employed by the team in the same Grand Prix two years ago, when a much higher downforce setup was used (photo on the right). Additionally, DRS was extensively used, as explained by Isola.
The same approach was used for the second 2026-oriented test, held at Mugello with McLaren, which ran parallel to Ferrari and Red Bull, though they were focused on defining the 2025 compounds. Rain on the first day slowed the work, but better weather on the second day allowed for more continuous laps and more mileage on the new tires. It can be noted that, in addition to a fairly low-downforce wing, even in the official photos, DRS was used in various sections of the track, including areas where it was not available during the only GP held at Mugello in 2020.
The development of the new tires will continue next month, with the next test scheduled for November 13 and 14 at Magny-Cours, where Alpine‘s mule car will be running.
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