An unusual failure in Fernando Alonso’s car during the Sprint qualifying of the Formula 1 Dutch GP has once again put the safety of the 2026 cars under discussion. Pirelli now admits that it may resume talks with the teams and the FIA on how to act if the problem happens again during a race weekend.
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Alonso’s Aston Martin car experienced a failure in the Straight Line Mode (SLM) system, preventing the rear wing from entering low aerodynamic drag mode. With the device not working properly, the Spaniard faced a higher level of drag than expected and finished the session in last place among the 22 drivers.
This episode also served for Pirelli to obtain real data on a situation considered uncommon. Simone Berra, Pirelli’s director, stated that the behavior observed at the Zandvoort circuit will be compared with the simulations used in the development of the 2026 tires.
“We would like to understand the difference between the simulations we received and the real data we have. It was not just Fernando; in TL1 other teams also tested under different conditions with the rear or front wings not fully open,” said Berra.
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The issue gained importance because the tires were designed considering that the load on them would be reduced on long straights with the SLM activated. In a possible failure during a race, there is a theoretical possibility of using the black flag with an orange circle, which would require the driver to enter the pits for repairs or even abandon the race.
According to Berra, however, this possibility will not be implemented for the rest of 2026. The director stated that the matter is closed at the moment but may return to the agenda later: “We can reopen discussions because they were open in the middle of the season. I think this is moving more towards next season, and we will probably decide to resume discussions with the teams and the FIA,” he added.
Berra also highlighted that a failure in the rear wing opening is particularly critical for the rear axle, while the simultaneous closing of the front and rear wings also represents an important problem for the front axle. Despite the differences, he classified any failure in the SLM as ‘very critical’.
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