Pirelli’s 2026 tire test saw Alpine and Williams log vital data in Bahrain, completing extensive mileage to refine future F1 tire performance.
Pirelli has completed its 2026 testing session in Bahrain, as teams ran on Sunday and Monday in Sakhir to develop tire compounds and architectures for 2026. Specifically, two teams were in action: Alpine F1 and Williams.
Yesterday, on the second and final day, Paul Aron and Alex Albon drove for Alpine and Williams, respectively, completing 130 and 120 laps of the Sakhir circuit. They ran on C1 and C3 compounds, with tire dimensions reduced by 25 mm at the front and 30 mm at the rear compared to the current specifications.
“Another very useful day for the development of the 2026 tires,” commented Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Head of Motorsport. “With nearly 2,700 kilometers covered, we have gathered a significant amount of data to advance our program.”
“I really want to thank the drivers and teams who extended their stay at the Bahrain circuit for three extra days at a very busy time, less than two weeks before the first race. In Sakhir, we continued comparing different construction types and compounds, with the latter being the hardest in the range, to adapt to the characteristics of this circuit.”
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“Our R&D colleagues will now carefully analyze the information and provide valuable insights so we can continue improving the product for the next generation of cars.”
The next test session for the 2026 tires will take place at Silverstone on May 7 and 8, with Mercedes on track to work on the development of intermediate and extreme wet-weather tires.
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Alpine & Williams Boost 2026 Tire Development Data Alpine & Williams Boost 2026 Tire Development Data
