Pirelli completes vital 390-lap test at Mugello, with Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren participating in crucial tire development efforts.
Finally, the rain eased yesterday at Mugello, allowing the second day of testing to proceed as planned for Pirelli and the three teams present to assist the tire manufacturer in its development.
After a near washout on Tuesday, four drivers were in action yesterday at the Tuscan circuit: reserve driver Liam Lawson took the wheel of the Red Bull RB20, while McLaren fielded one of its race drivers, Lando Norris. Scuderia Ferrari had Carlos Sainz driving the SF-24 in the morning before handing over to Charles Leclerc for the afternoon session.
Pirelli’s engineers worked on two parallel programs: Red Bull and Ferrari focused on developing compounds for 2025, particularly the harder options planned for next season. Meanwhile, McLaren ran a mule car at Mugello, testing prototype tires for the 2026 season for the first time.
During the first hour of the morning, the track was still wet, so all three cars ran on intermediate tires, which provided useful data, especially given that Mugello is a highly demanding circuit. By 11 a.m., the teams were able to switch to slicks and attempt to complete the full program.
Over the course of the day, 390 laps were completed. Lando Norris covered the most ground with 118 laps (1:21.302), followed by Liam Lawson with 116 laps (1:23.219), Charles Leclerc with 79 laps (1:21.053), and Carlos Sainz with 77 laps (1:21.890).
The next phase of tire development for next year will take place on October 25 during the second free practice session at the Mexican Grand Prix, designated as an in-competition test, while the work on 2026 prototypes will resume on November 13-14 at Magny-Cours (France), with a mule car provided by the Alpine F1 team.
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Red Bull – Ferrari – McLaren Push Limits in Pirelli Trials Red Bull – Ferrari – McLaren Push Limits in Pirelli Trials