Pirelli Wraps Up Testing of New Tires in Hungary, Leclerc Clocks 144 Laps
In a thrilling conclusion to the tire testing saga for 2026, Pirelli has completed its second and final day of trials at Hungaroring. The Alpine and Scuderia Ferrari teams played pivotal roles in the tire development process, focusing on evaluating new compounds and tire constructions designed for the upcoming regulations. These regulations will maintain the current 18-inch diameter but will introduce narrower widths – 25mm less at the front and 30mm less at the rear.
With track temperatures ranging from 31°C to 53°C, the challenging conditions at Hungaroring provided crucial data collection opportunities. The morning session involved short stint comparisons between different prototype compounds (C3 to C5), while the afternoon session was dedicated to long-distance performance, including tests of a new C2 version.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc successfully completed the full program, racking up an impressive 144 laps with a best time of 1:19.407. However, the Alpine team faced setbacks as Franco Colapinto spun off the track early in the morning, damaging the car and halting testing after just 25 laps completed. Colapinto’s best time was 1:20.270.
Both teams utilized modified cars based on their current chassis, adapted to fit the dimensions of the tires slated for 2026. The data collected will now be analyzed by Pirelli to fine-tune the final specifications of the 2026 tires.
“It was two productive days to advance the development of our compounds for the next season as we enter the final stretch,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director. “Hungaroring is a demanding track due to its many slow corners and the amount of energy exerted on the tires in a relatively short lap. This makes it a challenging venue to test tires, especially for the compounds that will be central in the 2026 range – spanning from C1 to C6, much like this year.”
While valuable data was gathered, the unfortunate incident involving Colapinto’s off-track excursion disrupted part of the potential mileage for the day, although it was unrelated to the tires. Regarding construction, final solutions were verified for approval before the regulations come into effect on September 1. Looking ahead, three more testing sessions in Monza, Mugello, and Mexico City are scheduled to finalize compound development, with homologation set for December 15.
The riveting conclusion of the tire tests in Hungary sets the stage for an exciting evolution in F1 racing as teams gear up for the innovations and challenges of the 2026 season.
