Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are set to conduct a 2026 Pirelli tyre test at the Barcelona Formula 1 circuit next week in a specially modified Ferrari.
The 2026 F1 machines will usher in a new era for the series as the regulations get a dramatic overhaul.
Narrower, shorter and lighter cars will be introduced, coupled with active aerodynamics and a new construction of Pirelli tyres.
Accounting for the aero and chassis regulations, the 2026 Pirelli front tyres will be 25mm narrower than the current construction with the rears set to be 30mm narrower.
To help F1’s official tyre supplier gather data for next season, all 10 teams have signed up to conduct special testing in 2025 with the two-way benefits clear.
Italian publication Auto Racer claims Hamilton and Leclerc will be on track in Barcelona next week in a modified SF-24.
To help simulate the 2026 regulations and make the tyre data valuable, Ferrari will run the SF-24 30kg lighter than standard and run a low-downforce set-up, in accordance with the downforce reduction expected next year.
The test follows Hamilton and Leclerc’s TPC running the 2023 SF-23 machine in Barcelona this week, where the duo had been racking up the miles in preparation for the 2025 campaign.
Hamilton suffered a crash during the test, and motorsport.com’s Italian arm stated that the Briton’s accident occurred around 11 am local time Wednesday in the final sector and caused sizeable damage to the SF-23’s suspension and aero components.
Hamilton was unharmed, but Leclerc’s running was impacted.
McLaren conducts 2026 Pirelli wet tyre running
Pirelli’s 2026 preparations require wet and dry running to gather as much information as possible.
However, simulating wet weather conditions is easier said than done, if one is relying merely on mother nature.
That wasn’t an issue for McLaren and Oscar Piastri on Wednesday in Paul Ricard as the French circuit is heavily used as a testing facility.
As such, Paul Ricard has the capability to artificially soak sections of the former French Grand Prix venue and that was exactly what happened for Piastri as he completed 120 laps of wet running on a 3.463km configuration of the circuit.
McLaren is expected to be in Barcelona next week to continue 2026 Pirelli tyre testing alongside Ferrari.
2026 F1 cars set for 15% downforce reduction
Running 2024 cars with a low downforce set-up signifies a key change that is coming to F1 next season.
The 2026 hybrid power units will be relying on electrical power in a greater capacity and as a result, the FIA has drawn up the aero regulations accordingly.
However, when the draft 2026 aero regs were published last June, teams were concerned that the changes made were too drastic and that lap times would go up dramatically.
The governing body sought to make changes and Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis has revealed performance progress has been made for next year’s F1 chargers.
“There has been an increase of performance of the car by probably about 50 points of downforce,” he said.
“This has brought the performance from what maybe was minus 40% compared to current cars, to around minus 15% in terms of downforce.
“In terms of performance, the resulting lap time of the cars is very close to current cars. All that has been done as was promised in June.”
“If we had made no change,’ he said. “I guess it would have been probably approximately another two seconds slower.”
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