The first prototypes of F1’s new tyres for 2026 have made their track debut during a test session held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
While the 18-inch wheel size seen on the current generation of cars will remain the same, the width and external diameter of the tyres will be reduced by 25mm on the front axles and 30mm on the rears.
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The changes in the aerodynamic configurations of the new cars will result in the loads exerted on the tyres being different, meaning that track testing – where conditions are reproduced as closely as possible to those expected in 2026 – is important.
