The iconic Nurburgring circuit hosted Formula 1 again for the first time since 2020, but this return for Pirelli tire testing during the forced break in April was not entirely smooth. A technical problem with McLaren interrupted part of the testing program at the German circuit.
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The activity involved Mercedes and McLaren and marked another important stage of development, especially at an early moment of the new regulations. Despite the setback, George Russell and Oscar Piastri managed to complete a significant number of laps, providing relevant data for the teams and the tire supplier.
The Nurburgring circuit had not hosted Formula 1 cars since the 2020 season, when it was included in the calendar to replace events canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The return took place on Tuesday (14), although it was not on the long Nordschleife-Nurburgring layout of over 20 km, where Max Verstappen will race this coming weekend in an endurance race in the GT3 category.
During the test, Russell and Piastri started work after installation laps with intermediate tires. Then, both switched to slick tires, starting the program planned by Pirelli. According to the Italian manufacturer, ‘the drivers completed several sequences of eight laps in the first part of the program, testing different construction variants with the C3 compound’.
In the final part of the session, the most promising solutions were evaluated over longer distances: “The most promising solutions were then evaluated over longer distances late in the afternoon by the British driver, specifically to validate behavior over a more representative mileage,” Pirelli reported.
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However, McLaren’s work was hampered by a technical problem with Piastri’s car. The failure kept the Australian in the garage from the lunch break until almost the end of the session. The nature of the problem was not disclosed.
Even with the interruption, Piastri completed 65 laps, totaling 335 kilometers, with a best time of 1:35.096. Russell, in turn, had a more productive day, with 127 laps and 654 kilometers covered, recording the best time of 1:33.899.
Testing continues this Wednesday (15) in the Eifel region of Germany. The activity offers valuable track time for the teams at this early stage of the new regulations, as well as providing important data for tire development.
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