In the round-up: Charles Leclerc tested Pirelli’s 2025-specification tyres at Mugello yesterday.

In brief

Pirelli begin Mugello tyre test

Pirelli began their fifth in-season tyre test of the year at Mugello yesterday with Leclerc at the wheel of a Ferrari SF-24. The team will spend two days running at the track which held the one-off Tuscan Grand Prix in 2020.

Leclerc was back in action at Mugello

Leclerc completed 120 laps of the circuit, just over two race distances’ worth. He tested hard tyre compounds which are planned for next season, which will be the last with using current specification before narrower rubber arrives in 2026.

The track, which features many medium and high-speed corners, was chosen to assess whether Pirelli’s latest prototypes have successfully reduced overheating as intended. However rain in the afternoon turned their attention to testing intermediate tyres instead.

Carlos Sainz Jnr will take over the car today.

Sauber announce new CCO

The Sauber F1 team has announced Stefano Battiston has joined the team as its chief commercial officer ahead of their transition into the factory Audi team in 2026.

Battiston was previously head of marketing for Alfa Romeo in F1, before becoming the commercial director for Audi’s entry into Formula 1.

“Audi’s position on the global stage is solid and impressive, and I’m both delighted and determined in equal measure to drive this project forward,” he said. “We are forming a new team with a mission of becoming a pioneering platform for brands, opening the door to a culture that will transcend traditional partnerships and customer engagement. Audi’s entry into Formula One is the pinnacle of their highly successful history in motorsport, and I’m grateful for this opportunity and challenge.”

Ex-F1 CEO Carey subpoenaed in Fox probe

Former Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey is back in the headlines. He and three fellow directors of the Fox Corporation have been subpoenaed by voting technology company Smartmatic which has brought a defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

The company is seeking $2.7 billion (£2.12bn) in damages over Fox’s coverage of the 2020 US presidential election and promotion of debunked conspiracy theories regarding voting systems and the result. Last year Fox paid $787.5 million to another voting company, Dominion Voting Systems, which claimed to have proof the company’s executives were aware the election claims were false but did not correct their coverage.

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