Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli tested the latest version of its new, narrower tyres for next season at the Circuit de Catalunya today.

Ferrari and McLaren supplied cars for the test. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc drove last year’s SF-24 which had been modified to suit the tyres intended for use on cars which should be lighter than current designs.

At McLaren, Lando Norris used a car based on the 2023 MCL60, again modified to provide more representative testing data. McLaren also conducted a test for Pirelli last week at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, working on the intermediate and full wet weather tyres.

In dry and sunny conditions at the Spanish circuit, the three drivers covered a total of 332 laps. Norris, having his car to himself, covered 159 laps of the Spanish Grand Prix venue, close to two-and-a-half race distances. He set the quickest time with a 1’15.215.

Hamilton, who crashed a 2023 Ferrari when the team tested at the circuit last week, did 87 laps, one more than his new team mate. His best time of 1’15.930 was a tenth of a second faster than Leclerc’s.

The drivers used examples of the hardest tyres in Pirelli’s range, from C1 to C3. They ran a variety of constructions as Pirelli hones the designs which are 25mm narrower at the front and 30mm narrower at the rear than those used since 2017. The FIA said last year it hoped for a greater reduction in wheel sizes in 2026, but did not want to risk an increase in tyre overheating, which would detract from the goal of its new regulations.

Both Ferrari drivers will continue to test tomorrow while Oscar Piastri will take over from Norris in the McLaren.

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Pirelli tyre test pictures

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