McLaren test Pirelli's 2026 F1 wet tyres in tricky cold conditions
McLaren have been testing Pirelli's 2026 wet weather tyres.
McLaren are the latest team to go testing ahead of the 2025 F1 season, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in action at Circuit Paul Ricard.
The two McLaren drivers have been testing Pirelli’s 2026 wet-weather tyres at the French circuit.
Piastri drove McLaren’s 2023 challenger on Wednesday before handing over to teammate Norris.
Pirelli noted that track temperature was a chilly -2 degrees Celsius in the morning, meaning Piastri was unable to complete the planned number of laps.
Things picked up in the afternoon, though, as Piastri managed to complete 120 laps in total.
His best time was a 1m07.008s, suggesting McLaren were running on a shortened version of Circuit Paul Ricard - not the layout used for the French GP between 2018 and 2022.
Norris was in the car on Thursday, but Pirelli has yet to announce details of his performance.
Like Piastri, Norris has been tasked with testing Pirelli’s intermediate and wet tyres for 2026.
2026 is a significant year for F1, with new power unit and chassis regulations coming into effect.
The tyre rules have also been tweaked.
While the tyres will remain 18 inches in diameter, the width and external diameter will be slightly reduced on both axles.
Further testing will be conducted throughout the year as Pirelli prepares for the new regulations.
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.
