With Formula 1 teams having made aerodynamic improvements over the course of the offseason, don't expect lap times to drop this season as Pirelli boss Mario Isola believes time will be needed to adjust to the new compound. The tyre manufacturer have been the sole supplier for Formula 1 teams since 2011, with the company always forced to find the balance between exciting races and performance. Pirelli simulations predict a loss of time of four tenths to half a second depending on the circuit this season, though Isola expects that gap to be reduced as the season goes along. "We can only react to this with the set-up," Isola told Auto Motor und Sport. "As teams become familiar with the tyres, the difference won't be as big." Drivers criticised new tyres during tests last year, but Isola believes that's a natural reaction given drivers are always concerned with performance. "That is a normal reaction," Isola added. "When drivers test new parts they always hope for an improvement in performance. In this case, however, the focus was only on durability, which was also agreed with the teams."
Most read
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
