Audi Joins Key Pirelli Test for 2027 F1 Tires

[Source: Formula 1]

The 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix marked the final Formula 1 race before the summer break, but for Gabriel Bortoleto, there was still work to be done. Instead of heading home after Sunday’s race, the Brazilian racing driver remained at the Hungaroring to help Pirelli continue development of the tires that will be used during the 2027 Formula 1 season.

Audi joined Aston Martin and Alpine in a two-day test immediately following the Hungarian Grand Prix. While these sessions don’t award championship points or produce headline-grabbing lap times, they play an important role in shaping the future of Formula 1. Every lap provides Pirelli engineers with valuable data as they finalize the construction and compound characteristics of the next generation of Formula 1 slick tires.

For Audi, participation offers benefits beyond simply assisting Pirelli. Every mile on track gives the team additional experience working with its Formula 1 operation in a controlled testing environment. Although the programs are designed by Pirelli and the data primarily benefits the tire manufacturer, Audi still gains valuable operational experience as it continues building toward becoming a consistent front-running team.

Bortoleto logged the most mileage of any driver during Tuesday’s running, completing an impressive 141 laps around the Hungaroring. His quickest lap of 1:20.813 was the second-fastest of the day, trailing only Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, who topped the timesheets with a 1:20.371 after completing 128 laps. Colapinto and Bortoleto spent the day evaluating multiple versions of Pirelli’s C4 and C5 compounds, completing both qualifying-style runs and longer race-simulation stints.

Testing wrapped up on Wednesday, July 29 and Bortoleto can now begin to enjoy a well-deserved break. The Dutch Grand Prix will be here before you know it.