VIDEO: General rehearsal in Imola? Ferrari tests Pirelli tires for 2027

Not even 48 hours after the Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were already back in the SF-26. The Ferrari drivers traveled to Imola for a special test day on behalf of Pirelli. The timing is striking: according to rumors in the paddock and local entrepreneurs in Imola itself, the Italian circuit is in pole position to replace the Abu Dhabi GP as the season finale.

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Ferrari’s test day takes place on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the Spanish GP. It is common for teams to test the Pirelli tires for the next season throughout a season via such days, but the location, Imola, is remarkable. On Tuesday, Lewis Hamilton was in action in the morning, while Charles Leclerc took over the wheel in the afternoon. According to multiple sources, it was Ferrari’s turn to test the softest tires – C3, C4, and C5 – for 2027. Hamilton completed 64 laps – a total of 314 kilometers, while Leclerc tested 63 laps – and 309 kilometers.

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Dress rehearsal?

On Wednesday, the Scuderia will also be joined by Racing Bulls. Both Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad are reportedly set to take action at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. The circuit seems a logical choice because it is close to the headquarters of Ferrari (in Maranello), Racing Bulls (in Faenza), and Pirelli (in Milan). Additionally, Imola is already mentioned both in the paddock and by local entrepreneurs as Plan B, should the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi not take place. However, F1 and FOM have not confirmed anything yet.

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