Crucial F1 race set for major rule change at two weeks notice

A rule change for this month's Qatar Grand Prix has been confirmed just tow weeks out.

Much like the Monaco Grand Prix this year, Qatar will feature a mandatory two pit stops – but unlike Monaco, the rule isn't simply designed to make the race more entertaining.

Recommendations have been submitted by F1 tyre supplier Pirelli which suggest that, for safety reasons in the hot conditions in Qatar, tyres can only be expected to go 25 laps.

And in order to stop teams from running the tyres beyond their useful life at a track that puts a lot of thermal stress and wear on the tyres, the FIA and F1 have agreed that these recommendations be followed.

With the Qatar GP main race being a 57-lap race, it means that a mandatory two-stop race will be imposed on all teams.

The rules will come in for what is the penultimate race of the 2025 season, and it could play a part in the championship battle between Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen.

Pirelli's full statement on Qatar GP changes

The statement that Pirelli put out about tyre wear at the Lusail International Circuit later this month read: "In Qatar, a limit will be introduced for the number of laps that each set of tyres can cover over the course of the whole race weekend. The decision, taken in agreement with the FIA and Formula 1 and discussed in regular meetings with the teams, is confirmed today by Pirelli through the usual technical document containing event specific prescriptions sent out two weeks prior to each Grand Prix.

"Every set of tyres supplied to the teams at the start of the race weekend can cover a maximum of 25 laps of the Lusail track, which is very demanding on tyres in terms of energy, thermal stress and wear. The laps will be counted cumulatively across all track session, including laps run under the safety car or virtual safety car.

"Laps to the grid and formation laps and those completed after the chequered flag in the Sprint and the Grand Prix will not be included in the count. As the Qatar Grand Prix is run over 57 laps, each driver will inevitably have to change tyres at least twice. Before the start of the grand prix, Pirelli will inform the teams how many laps are still available for each set.

"This measure has been deemed necessary, following analysis of the tyres used in 2024," the statement continued. "Last year, several tyres, particularly the left front, had reached the maximum wear level. These conditions, combined with the high lateral energy had increased the structural fatigue of the construction.

"In order to reduce the number of pit stops, the teams had worked on tyre degradation management, limiting performance drop off, which sometimes ran the risk of extending the stint beyond the useful life of the tyre.

"A similar precautionary measure had already been introduced at this track in 2023, although that was for different problems which are now resolved. That year, repeatedly going over some kerbs had led to micro-lacerations in the tyres’ sidewalls. Last year, the subsequent modification to the pyramid kerbs along with the addition of strips of gravel around them, had avoided a repetition of this situation.

"As already announced, Qatar will see the use of the hardest compounds in the Pirelli range: C1 as hard, C2 as medium and C3 as soft. As this is a Sprint weekend, each driver will be supplied with two sets of hard, four of medium and six of soft."

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