“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 Italian manufacture stated.

This means the race will inevitably be run on a two-stop strategy, given the scheduled distance of 57 laps.

Pirelli deemed this measure necessary after reviewing last year’s events, stating that “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.”

The same measure was implemented two years ago, when the curbs caused micro-tears in the tyre sidewalls, compromising safety. That issue was avoided last year thanks to work carried out on the curbs and gravel strips, which discouraged drivers from attacking the curbs too aggressively.

At the Lusail weekend, the hardest tyre range available — C1, C2, and C3 — will be used to help prevent severe thermal degradation. Being a sprint weekend, each driver will have 2 sets of Hard, 4 of Medium, and 6 of Soft tyres at their disposal.

The Qatar GP is one of the most demanding not just for tyres but also physically, as evidenced by the health issues several drivers faced in 2023, including Logan Sargeant’s mid-race retirement due to physical problems.