Why are Pirelli's in-season tyre tests crucial?

Although most of the teams left the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps after the Belgian Grand Prix, three teams including Aston Martin stayed for a little longer to perform tyre testing with Formula One's sole tyre supplier Pirelli.

For the majority of the Formula One paddock, the chequered flag dropping at the Belgian Grand Prix signalled the start of the sport's annual summer break.

Remaining at Spa-Francorchamps, Aston Martin took part in the latest Pirelli tyre test, as Formula One's official tyre manufacturer continues to assess and analyse options for tyre compounds ahead of the 2025 season.

The Silverstone-based outfit completed the test with its reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne which marked the Belgian's first taste of the AMR24.

Explaining the targets during tyre testing, Aston Martin's Performance Director Tom McCullough revealed the Pirelli dictated the schedule and the to-do-list.

"The test is led by Pirelli. It has total freedom over the programme. F1 teams are contracted to help Pirelli develop the tyres, whether that's for reliability or for performance.

"Despite the accuracy of modern-day simulation tools, there is no substitute for real-world testing with a car that will put the tyre through the kind stresses and loads it will be subjected to on the track."

Asked about what happens during the test, McCullough said that those runs are bild tests for the teams which means that Pirelli does not reveal that exact specification of the tyre.

"Teams are obliged to run a current generation F1 car to work through a series of tests determined by Pirelli. These can be anything from tests focused on the construction of the tyre or the compound of the tyre.

"It's a blind test for the team. This means we don't know what tyres are being put on the car, but the tests are almost always focused on the development and understanding of the following year's tyres.

"Pirelli will cycle through both low- and high-fuel runs on different compounds to collect data, which will help it understand how to further improve and develop the tyres."

Reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne explains that the tyre tests are crucial for Pirelli to make constant changes to their products.

"Tyres are one of the most crucial aspects of how an F1 car performs – they are the only part of an F1 car in contact with the track – and Pirelli is constantly evolving the tyres based on changes in the regulations and feedback from the teams.

"Pirelli uses the test to evaluate new constructions and compounds of its tyres that it may want to introduce to the sport in the future.

"We run a lot of different sets of tyres during the day, and it's beneficial for the team because we may get an early feeling for what direction Pirelli might head in," noted the Belgian driver.