Tyre preview for the Qatar Grand Prix

Following a short break after the Japanese Grand Prix, the 2023 F1 season will continue this weekend with Round 18, the Qatar Grand Prix, at the Lusail International Circuit.

After the coronavirus-induced calendar reshuffle, Formula 1 marked new territory in 2021 when it visited Qatar for the first time, with long-term MotoGP venue Lusail hosting the championship. After a break in 2022 for Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup, Formula 1 is set to return to the Gulf island state, and to a renovated and refreshed Lusail. The circuit layout has not been altered since 2021's debut but the facilities have been upgraded to meet Formula 1's standards, with a new pits and paddock complex, revamped surroundings for increased spectator capacity, while the event itself becomes a fully-fledged night race.

For this weekend, Pirelli will bring three compounds from the harder end of its tyre range: C1 will serve as P Zero White hard, C2 as P Zero Yellow medium, and C3 as P Zero Red soft. This nomination should bring no surprises as teams needed to use the same trio in the previous race in Japan.

The track features elongated high-speed and medium-speed corners that put high loads through the tyres. With no support races this weekend, the track will not be rubbered in from other cars. Sand often represents an issue as it is usually blown over the track surface which heavily affects grip levels especially at the start of the session. As in Bahrain, the sand makes track evolution another key factor, which will be accentuated by the new asphalt.

Moreover, weather conditions also need to be taken into consideration when it comes to tyre behaviour. Ambient temperatures are high in Qatar at this time of year, peaking beyond 40°C during the week leading up to the race. However, the starting time will be quite late this weekend which should lessen the stress that act on the tyres.

Doha will be a night race, with qualifying and the grand prix starting at 20:00 (local time). On Saturday, the Sprint Shootout will start at 16:00 and the Sprint race itself at 20:30.

When F1 first visited Doha two years ago, a wide range of strategies was seen two years ago. Half the drivers started on Softs with the other half on Mediums, while the number of pit stops varied from one to three. Race winner Lewis Hamilton won with a two-stopper, completing two initial stints on the medium tyre before a final stint on the Hard.

As a precaution, Pirelli has mandated extremely high starting pressures for this weekend. The minimum starting pressures are 25.0psi for the front tyres and 21.5psi. The camber limits are restricted to -2.75° for the fronts and -1.5° for the rears with both the starting pressures and the camber limits similar to the ones mandated in Suzuka.

Pirelli's Head of Motorsport Mario Isola said: “Formula 1 now returns to Qatar, two years after its debut there in 2021. But in many ways, it’s another new beginning, as the cars are now very different to the ones we saw a couple of years ago and the Losail circuit has been completely resurfaced, with modified kerbs as well. On paper, the track’s main features remain the same – with a main straight just over a kilometre long and 16 corners – but it’s clear that the changes made over the last two years mean that the data collected from the first grand prix is only relatively useful.

"In terms of severity, Losail is a very challenging circuit for tyres, similar to Silverstone and Suzuka. So it’s no coincidence that the compounds chosen are the same: C1, C2, and C3. There’s quite a variety of corners, most of them medium speed and high speed. The series of corners between Turns 12 and 14 is quite reminiscent of the famous Turn 8 at Istanbul: one of the most demanding corners for tyres in the recent history of Formula 1. This sequence is also one of the most influential factors to a good lap time. The fact that 11 of the 16 corners are right-handers puts particular stress on the left of the car, especially at the front, but the energy levels seen going through the tyres in 2021 were still quite well-balanced between the two axles.

"Another factor making the Qatar Grand Prix even more challenging for us as well as the drivers and the teams is the return of the Sprint format. Just one hour of free practice will be available on Friday to determine the set-up and assess tyre behaviour over long runs; furthermore that session happens in the heat of the day – which will warm up the asphalt – as opposed to qualifying and the two races, which take place at night. So everything is in place for an interesting weekend as well as perhaps a few surprises; the ability to adapt quickly and well to the track could deliver a significant advantage," Isola concluded.