Colapinto distrupts F1 2026 Pirelli Tyre Test on final day

Pirelli’s latest tyre test has finished in Hungary with teams helping with development tests for next year’s tyres, but it wasn’t without issue after Alpine’s Franco Colapinto crashed. 

Feature image credit: Pirelli Motorsport

Wednesday marked the second and final day of the development tests for the 2026 Pirelli tyres, and Alpine and Ferrari were in attendance to help with these tests. 

It was the final of a two-day test by Pirelli where several teams helped the tyre supplier with their 2026 tyres. Alpine, McLaren and Racing Bulls took part in the first day of testing on Tuesday, with the French manufacturer completing both days. 

Ferrari also took part in the second day of the test. 

Colpainto took charge for Alpine whilst Charles Leclerc participated in the test for Ferrari, both drivers drove mule cars which were adapted to fit the 2026 measurement tyres.

However, the first part of the morning session was halted by Colapinto, who went off after 25 laps completed and a fastest time of 1m 20.270s. The car suffered damage and couldn’t return to the track.

He was reportedly checked at the medical centre on-site, after crashing at turn 11, and is okay. 

On the other hand, Leclerc was able to complete a full programme, totting up 144 laps, and a fastest time of 1m 19.407s. 

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Following the test, Head of Pirelli Motorsport, Mario Isola said: 

“These have been two useful days for making progress with the development of our compounds for next season, given that we are now entering the home straight.

“The Hungaroring is a demanding track due to its many slow curves and the amount of energy that goes into the tyres on a lap that is rather short. This makes it a challenging place to test tyres, in particular for the compounds that will be central to the 2026 range – which will go from C1 to C6 like this year.

“We have collected a lot of data, although it was a pity that we lost some of our potential mileage today when Colapinto went off the track, even though this was not in any way linked to the tyres. 

The purpose of the test was to verify the final solutions of the tyres construction ahead of homologation, which is set to be homologated by September 1.

Pirelli confirmed there will be three more tests to be completed, in Monza, Mugello and Mexico City, which will finish the development of the tyre compounds, set to be homologated by December 15.

Read more Formula 1 here:

• F1 Mid-Season Driver Rankings #21: Jack Doohan
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• Lando Norris seals Hungary GP win ahead of F1 shutdown
• How does the grid line up for Hungary GP with penalties applied

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.