F1 drivers voice dissent after major test despite George Russell optimism

F1 drivers have delivered a definitive verdict against Pirelli's wet-weather tyres following their first major use in 2026.

During the Sao Paulo GP weekend, qualifying was held in dreadfully wet conditions, which necessitated the use of the extreme full wet tyres in competition for the first time this season, with Sunday's grand prix running wet-dry-wet, with the intermediate tyres being given a proper run-out for the first time. 

The grand prix was the first time this season that a grand prix had started in wet conditions, and drivers were forced to change from slicks to the intermediates during a race, with the late shower in the closing laps.

The intermediate tyres had been used in both Bahrain in Malaysia and in the Singapore Sprint, but track conditions, aided by high track temperatures, quickly allowed the surfaces to dry and drivers to swap for slicks in Sepang, whilst they nursed the intermediates home in the Saturday race at Marina Bay. 

Although Pirelli has been able to conduct specialised wet weather testing throughout 2026, including via Racing Bulls at Suzuka and Lewis Hamilton for Ferrari at Fiorano, the wet-weather tyres remain tricky to design. 

In previous years, the full wet tyre was almost eradicated as a choice owing to its poor design, compounded by the fact that tyre blankets were not allowed to pre-heat them on cost and environmental grounds - but a call from Hamilton, in part, helped to ease the ban. 

Reflecting, Mercedes driver Russell felt the Sao Paulo weekend and first major competition use of the intermediates and full wets had gone well. 

"It has been substantially better than we all anticipated," Russell told media, including RacingNews365.

"I think it is also important to realise that the three tracks we've driven on have been very rough tarmac, and Malaysia and the Singapore Sprint were still hot, even in the rain. 

"In [Sao Paulo qualifying], even though it was raining, the track was 30 degrees, but maybe, in the 15 degrees of Spa, we're giving different feedback."

However, Russell's fellow GPDA director Carlos Sainz counteracted that claim. 

"Not good enough," said Sainz when asked for his feedback. 

"I think the level of the inter and the wet tyre is not good enough, and we need to work with Pirelli on finding a better tyre, because in the mixed conditions, the inter is still a very weak tyre at the rear.

"By the time it warms up, the front is gone, and for the extreme wets, [in qualifying] we had much aquaplaning and a big lack of rear grip.

"So it is still missing a bit of development on these two tyres."

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Fascinating insight into ongoing battle

Sainz's Williams team-mate Alex Albon then offered a fascinating insight into the battle drivers are facing to fire the intermediate and wet tyres up to allow them to operate in a suitable working window. 

"I think the inter and the wet tyre isn't working very well at the moment," he said, after describing the wet tyre as "really poor" and the intermediate as "semi-sensible" following qualifying. 

"I don't think it is the cars; it is the tyres, and we need to figure it out because the laps to the grid [prior to the São Paulo GP] were insane, really insane.

"I couldn't believe how little grip there was, and then the wet tyre overheats immediately, so we do need to make a better wet tyre for next year.

"What we've done with the power reduction and all that kind of stuff, we kind of need at the minute, and maybe if we had grippier inter and wet tyres, we'd be able to run at 350kw, but it is sketchy. 

"It is difficult to fire the tyres up, but they also wear quite quickly, so even when they are cold, they're wearing.

"It feels like they never overheat or get up to temperature, and then by the time you are circulating, the tread is already coming off the tyre, and then you're struggling. 

"You're sliding around, so you never feel good at any point, and feel that we can come to life."