F1 returns to Germany with Nürburgring test for McLaren, Mercedes

Formula 1 is set to return to Germany for the first time in four years, with McLaren and Mercedes scheduled to conduct a two-day Pirelli tyre test at the Nürburgring in mid-April. The test marks a significant, albeit temporary, comeback for the sport in a nation with deep historical ties to the championship, which has been absent from the German calendar since 2019.

Why it matters:

Germany was once a cornerstone of the F1 calendar, hosting a race nearly every year from the championship's inception in 1950 until 2015. Its absence since the final Hockenheim Grand Prix in 2019 represents a major gap in the sport's European heartland. This test, while not a race, signals a small but meaningful re-engagement with German fans and infrastructure, keeping the door open for a potential future return as the sport continues to evaluate its global calendar.

The details:

• The test is scheduled for April 14 and 15 on the Nürburgring's Grand Prix circuit layout, not the famed Nordschleife.
• It is an official Pirelli dry-tyre development test, part of the Italian manufacturer's ongoing program to refine its compounds for current and future regulations.
• This will be the first time contemporary F1 cars have run in Germany since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, which was held at the same circuit during the pandemic-affected season.
• The test is separate from a cancelled wet-weather tyre test in Bahrain and a separate wet-tyre test Ferrari will conduct for Pirelli at Fiorano in early April.
• In-season testing for car performance is banned, but Pirelli is allocated up to 40 days per year with teams supplying cars and drivers exclusively for tyre development.

What's next:

Beyond the immediate test, the focus shifts to Pirelli's future in the sport. Its sole supplier contract runs through 2027, with an option for 2028 that the company is understood to be keen to take up. However, the landscape may become more competitive; Pirelli's planned entry into MotoGP in 2027 has fueled speculation that rivals like Bridgestone or Hankook could express interest in the F1 tender when it next becomes available. For now, Pirelli's immediate technical challenge is developing new, narrower tyres to suit the revolutionary 2026 car specifications, making every test day crucial data.