– Formula 1 tire manufacturer Pirelli held a two-day test in Imola on Tuesday and Wednesday. Ferrari tested prototype tires for the 2027 season on both days, and on Wednesday the Racing Bulls were also on the track.
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Imola is currently not on the Formula 1 calendar, but there are rumors that the 2026 season finale could be held there in December if the two planned final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi have to be canceled as expected.
On Tuesday, the two Ferrari regular drivers Lewis Hamilton (morning) and Charles Leclerc (afternoon) tested the 2027 prototypes first. They focused on the three softest compounds, i.e. options C3 to C5.
Hamilton completed a total of 64 laps and his personal best time was 1:19.485 minutes at the end. Leclerc completed one lap less but was faster with a time of 1:18.832. However, times in such a test are not comparable.
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On Wednesday, reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi took over the Ferrari, while the Racing Bulls also tested with Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. For Lawson, it was a return to his actual team after he had competed in the last three Formula 1 races for Red Bull.
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Lawson tested the C3 and C4 tires, while Lindblad completed C3 and C5 tests in the afternoon. Giovinazzi only drove on the C3 compound, the hardest option in this test.
In the timing list, Lindblad (73 laps) was fastest at the end with a 1:18.454. Behind him were Lawson (65) with a 1:18.471 and Giovinazzi (135) with a 1:19.894. Over both days, Pirelli recorded exactly 400 test laps in total.
The next Pirelli test is planned for mid-October at Magny-Cours in France. The track’s artificial irrigation system is to be used there “to test new solutions for wet conditions,” the tire manufacturer announced.
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Only slicks were used in the test in Imola. The maximum temperature was 32 degrees, and the asphalt was even up to 50 degrees hot.
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