Pirelli is sure that single-stop strategy will emerge as quickest option in Qatar

F1 Grand Prix, GP Qatar, Losail International Circuit

Following last year's tyre issues at the Lusail International Circuit, Pirelli is sure that the single-stop strategy will emerge as the quickest option at today's Qatar Grand Prix.

The newly-crowned four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen clinched his first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix, but a one-place grid drop will see George Russell inherit the first starting position at today's Qatari F1 round.

Max Verstappen finished eighth in the sprint which has been his worst ever result in the short race format, but the Dutch driver bounced back with a sensational turnaround in qualifying to secure pole position for today's Qatar Grand Prix, beating Russell right at the end by, just 55 thousandths of a second.

However, the Red Bull driver was later given a one place grid penalty for having been deemed by the Stewards to have driven unnecessarily slowly on a cool down lap in Q3. Verstappen therefore stays on the front row, but it’s Russell who will start from pole.

Reflecting on Saturday in Lusail, Pirelli's motorsport director Mario Isola explained that the sprint race confirmed that tyres suffer from very limited degradation and wear this weekend.

“A very busy Saturday, as always on a Sprint weekend. The short race allowed us to check the behaviour of the Medium over a long distance and, from what we have seen so far, the indications from yesterday – very limited degradation, signs of wear and graining but not to any worrying degree – would seem to have been confirmed.

"We saw just one driver try the Soft in the Sprint, whereas last year there was a greater variety of choices made and so it is difficult to draw any definitive conclusions, as the data comes from just the one car. The Sauber driver’s choice highlights that the C3 requires very careful management if its life is to be extended for any sort of significant stint.

"In qualifying we saw that track evolution slowed down, stabilising in the second half. More significant was the impact of the wind which gradually reduced in strength, especially in the last part. The relatively low temperatures around 18/20 °C for both air and track, led to drivers taking different approaches to the flying lap. Some went for the classic out/timed/in while others did a preparation lap and still others, Verstappen in Q3 for example, doing just one run with two cool down laps.

"It is worth underlining the progress in lap times, not just the 3”258 improvement on last year with the same tyres and technical regulations, but also when compared to 2021 when the cars weighed almost fifty kilos less and Hamilton’s pole for the inaugural edition of this race was a 1’20”827.

Tyre issues in 2023
The Qatar Grand Prix was first held in the coronavirus-affected 2021 F1 season, with a permanent circuit playing host to the F1 action. The Lusail International Circuit features medium-high speed corners where the tyres are subjected to energy levels comparable to those at Suzuka and Silverstone and so the hardest trio of compounds in the 2024 range will be used, with the C3 as Soft, the C2 as Medium and the C1 as Hard.

This is the third edition of the Qatar Grand Prix, the two previous events having been held in 2021 and 2023. Last year the weekend was affected by a decision taken by the FIA, imposing a maximum of 18 on the number of laps that one set of tyres could complete in the race, which led to all the drivers making three pit stops.

The Race Director’s decision was deemed necessary after a notification from the Pirelli engineers. Following the usual analysis of the tyres returned to them by the teams after the first and second day of track activity, they pointed out the possibility of micro-lacerations in the sidewalls between the tread compound and the carcass cords, caused by impact generated from repeatedly driving over the kerbs at some corners.

Explaining what Pirelli expects from today's Qatar Grand Prix, Isola reckoned that the Milan-based manufacturer thinks that the low tyre degradation and wear will drive teams to execute a one-stop strategy.

"Based on today’s data, the one-stop option is looking even stronger. It’s true that in the Sprint we saw some cars reach the limit in terms of tyre wear but it did not cause a significant drop in performance.

"Furthermore, the track characteristics with no really heavy braking points, makes overtaking rather complicated, especially if cars find themselves in a DRS train as we saw in the Sprints, both F1 and F2. The Medium should be the favoured choice for the start, with a pit stop to take on Hards in a window between laps 16 and 24.

"Those starting at the back could run the two hardest compounds the other way round, while those considering a two-stop could decide to make the most of the better performance on offer from the Soft in the very early stages and then continue with two sets of Hard or possibly, one Hard and one Medium.”