Pirelli 2026 tyres ‘quite a step worse’

The dawn of Formula 1’s new era is just twelve months away, but not everyone is thrilled with the early previews, including George Russell who has been highly critical of what he’s seen so far from Pirelli.

The Mercedes has delivered a scathing critique of the Italian manufacturer’s next-generation tyres, claiming they’re “quite a step worse” than the current rubber.

With the sport gearing up for narrower rubber and a major rules shake-up in 2026, Russell’s comments have put Pirelli – and the future of F1 racing – squarely in the hot seat.

Skinnier Tyres, Bigger Problems?

The 2026 regs are all about change: cars with 15% less downforce, sleeker designs, and tyres trimmed down – 25mm narrower at the front, 30mm at the rear – to cut drag and boost efficiency.

Last month, as part of Pirelli’s development program, Russell strapped into a modified 2024-spec Mercedes W15 at Jerez, one of several “mule cars” tweaked with skinnier wings to mimic next year’s downforce drop.

The goal? Help Pirelli gather data for their big tyre overhaul. The result? A ride that left Russell shaking his head.

“That [the test] was a bit of a challenge compared to the wider tyres we have today,” Russell told the media in Bahrain last week.

“It was quite a step worse with the new tyres. That is naturally the case, because they’re just much more narrow. So hopefully they will be improved over the upcoming months.”

That’s not exactly a glowing review! With less grip from the slimmer profile, Russell’s sounding the alarm that Pirelli’s 2026 product might not be ready to handle F1’s high-speed demands.

Mule Cars and Mixed Signals

While teams have been burning rubber on their adapted ‘mule cars’ to simulate 2026 conditions, the data’s coming back fuzzy.

The test runs match today’s pace despite the downforce dip, meaning they’re not a perfect crystal ball for how these tyres will perform when the new cars hit the track.

It’s like tuning an engine with one hand tied behind your back—close, but not quite there.

Pirelli’s Racing Manager Mario Isola knows the score.

“We cannot just rely on the mule cars because it won’t be sensible,” he told Autosport.

“We will continue to provide them a virtual model of the tyre to use in their simulators and they come back to us with their feedback. And this is the right direction we should continue in.”

Simulators might lack the roar of the real thing, but they’re shaping up to be the key to cracking this tyre conundrum.

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