Formula 1 Rumor: Isola set to leave Pirelli before 2026 season

(GMM) Mario Isola (pictured) is expected to leave Pirelli before the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season, according to a rumor coinciding with ‘shakedown week’ in Barcelona.

Isola, who has overseen Pirelli’s Formula 1 operations at races for the past nine seasons and later became the company’s racing director, is reportedly set to join the sports department of the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) once his current contract expires.

During his tenure, Isola became one of the most recognizable and widely respected figures in the F1 paddock, known for his open communication with teams and drivers despite frequent criticism of tire characteristics. His role often involved balancing Pirelli’s technical constraints with demands from Formula 1 and the FIA for more exciting racing.

Italian sources suggest recent internal management changes at Pirelli raised questions about Isola’s autonomy and long-term direction, prompting him to consider other opportunities. When rumblings emerged of his interest in moving on, ACI is said to have offered him a senior managerial role within its sporting structure.

ACI has since confirmed that Giancarlo Minardi will oversee the organization’s sporting department on an interim basis while a permanent appointment is finalized.

No successor has yet been named at Pirelli, but the company is expected to promote from within.