Pirelli completes crucial test with Aston Martin at Barcelona

F1's sole tyre supplier Pirelli has performed a crucial test with Aston Martin at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, trying out the first prototype of its 2026 Formula One tyres.

Pirelli staged a particularly important test at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit last week. The first prototypes of the tyres that will be used as from the 2026 season underwent their first track session.

Although the sport is set to introduce a brand-new car and power unit in 2026, the tyres will be similar, with the 18” rim diameter set to stay for the new era of Formula One. However, the width and external diameter of the tyres will be slightly smaller on both the front and rear axles.

After the first stages of design, simulation and test bed work, in parallel, "the development programme will involve a series of track tests carried out with the vital collaboration of the teams. As per the first version of the technical regulations, the details of which remain to be finalised, the aerodynamic configuration of the cars will be very different and therefore the loads exerted on the tyres will also change," noted Pirelli.

"Track testing is therefore important to reproduce as closely as possible the conditions which will be found in 2026. Therefore, the teams taking part in the tests will use a modified car and the first of these is Aston Martin who provided an adapted 2023 car."

The first two-day test took place at Barcelona, with Felipe Drugovich having got behind the wheel of the modified Aston Martin 2023 F1 car.