Pirelli 2025 Tire Tests - Monza / Fiorano
Mercedes, Red Bull, VCARB were on track in Monza for the continued development of the 2025 compounds, Ferrari in Fiorano.
The excitement from Charles Leclerc’s win for Ferrari at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix still lingered over Monza as action continued, with three of the teams returning to the track. A tire development test took place on September 3 and 4, featuring Mercedes and Red Bull on the 3rd, while Racing Bulls were in action on the 4th.
George Russell represented Mercedes, completing 127 laps with a fastest time of 1:20.747, while Liam Lawson drove for Red Bull, finishing 104 laps with a best time of 1:22.126.
The two-day test focused on developing tire compounds for next season. On September 4, Lawson remained on track, this time driving for Racing Bulls. Although overnight rain left the surface damp early in the morning, Lawson began his session on intermediate tires before switching to slicks as the track dried. Unfortunately, his test day was cut short in the early afternoon due to a technical issue with the car. Before that, he managed to complete 76 laps, posting a best time of 1:22.530.
Meanwhile, Pirelli was also conducting testing on September 4 at Ferrari’s Fiorano track, just over 200 kilometers southeast of Monza. With the help of Scuderia Ferrari, Oliver Bearman worked on wet weather tire development, driving the SF-24. Utilizing Fiorano’s artificial watering system, Bearman first ran a few dry laps before focusing on Pirelli’s wet weather program. He completed 167 laps in total.
Pirelli’s testing schedule remains packed for the rest of the year, with development focusing on both next season and the 2026 season. The next test is scheduled for September 17 and 18 at Spain's Barcelona-Catalunya circuit, where the first prototypes of the 2026 tires will debut. These tires will still be 18 inches but slightly narrower than the current ones. Aston Martin will provide a modified car to accommodate the new tire size. Testing for the 2025 tires will continue at Magny-Cours in France on October 1 and 2, with support from Mercedes.
Excerpts of this article provided by Pirelli S.p.A.
