Rain slows testing at Mugello
Rain seems particularly attached to Pirelli’s development test programme in this final quarter of 2024. Last week, the two days spent at Magny-Cours were, to say the least, complicated by the weather and now the session that started today at the Mugello circuit saw heavy rain right from the early hours of the morning. Furthermore, poor visibility at the Tuscan track meant that, for quite a while, the safety helicopter could not fly and therefore the cars hardly did any running all day long.
There were two different programmes scheduled for today. Liam Lawson, who is fulfilling his role as reserve driver with Oracle Red Bull Racing before he jumps into his seat with Visa Cash App RB next week in Austin was due to work on finalising compounds for the 2025 season while the McLaren F1 Team, with Lando Norris in the cockpit of a mule car was due to try for the first time the prototypes of the tyres to be used as from 2026. These have the same 18” diameter as the current ones, but the width and external diameter are slightly smaller on both the front and rear axles.
Weather permitting, testing resumes tomorrow. The same two teams and drivers will be on track, joined for the day by Scuderia Ferrari HP, with Charles Leclerc, working on next year’s tyres.
