F1, Sportrik Media - Max Verstappen described the latest Pirelli Formula 1 tyres as “super sensitive” after completing an uninterrupted programme with Red Bull during pre-season testing in Bahrain. The four-time world champion logged 139 laps across Thursday’s running, marking one of the most extensive workloads of the day.
Verstappen utilised the full eight-hour session to focus primarily on long-run performance, as teams continue adapting to the technical demands of the 2026 regulations. With active aerodynamics and revised hybrid deployment altering load characteristics, tyre temperature stability and degradation patterns have become increasingly influential in defining race pace consistency.
“As a team, it was good to focus on longer run performance today,” Verstappen said.
“We made some adjustments to the set-up, which has given us some good direction overnight. Having a full day of running was positive. The tyres are super sensitive, so there’s still a lot of analysis required there.”
His remarks underline the complexity of understanding the updated tyre behaviour under fluctuating aerodynamic loads. The interaction between reduced drag phases and sudden downforce increases can generate sharper thermal swings, requiring precise pressure management and careful balance adjustments to avoid performance drop-off over extended stints.
Red Bull’s approach has centred on accumulating mileage to strengthen correlation data before the championship opener. Verstappen will return to the cockpit on the final day of testing, sharing duties with team-mate Isack Hadjar to maximise comparative data sets across different driving styles and set-up feedback.
“On Friday, we will aim to get as many laps as we can between us,” Verstappen added.
“There is still a lot to understand, so we hope to get as much data on the car as we can ahead of Melbourne.”
The emphasis on lap count reflects a structured evaluation phase rather than a focus on headline lap times. Under the tightly regulated 2026 performance window, marginal gains in tyre management could prove decisive in race strategy execution and stint length optimisation.
As testing concludes in Bahrain, the primary objective remains extracting clarity on tyre sensitivity and long-run stability. For Verstappen and Red Bull, consolidating data before the grid heads to Australia will be critical in establishing competitive direction at the start of the new season.
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