Pirelli has mandated a maximum of 25 laps per set of tires at the Qatar Grand Prix and a mandatory two-stop race due to concerns about excessive wear.
The penultimate race of the season will take place just under two weeks after this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Two years ago, maximum stint lengths were imposed at this event due to small scratches on tires caused by unusual curves at the Lusail International Circuit, but this time the restrictions are due to tire wear.
Pirelli, which analyzed data from last year’s race, said that some tires, particularly the front left, had reached maximum wear levels on the high-speed circuit. Tires were often used beyond their Pirelli-specified service life, both for strategic reasons and because teams wanted to be a one-stop shop to protect them from deterioration.
Despite Qatar using the three hardest compounds (C1, C2 and C3), Lusail was concerned about potential failure due to the increased structural fatigue faced by the tires due to the high lateral energy passing through the tires.
As a result, teams will only be able to complete a maximum of 25 laps on a set of tires, which will be counted cumulatively for each session and will also include safety car laps and virtual safety car laps. Laps to the grid, formation laps, and laps completed after the checkered flag in sprints and grand prix are excluded from the total.
The maximum number of laps means teams will be forced to make at least two pit stops during the Grand Prix in Qatar, where the race distance is set at 57 laps.
The move is safety-based and separate from ongoing discussions between the FIA, F1 and the teams over a potential mandatory two-stop regulation to improve racing. The proposals include adjusting tire specifications, limiting tire life and using three different compounds during races, but no changes were agreed at a recent F1 committee meeting and exploratory negotiations will continue into 2026.
