F1 team boss says Qatar race risks being 'destroyed' after special rule

13:39, 25 Nov

bySamson Ero

Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has warned that the Qatar Grand Prix could be “destroyed” following Pirelli’s imposition of a strict tyre rule for the Lusail race.

“I think it will destroy the race.”

- Ayao Komatsu

The 49-year-old, speaking during the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, admitted he is not a fan of what he considers artificial limits on races, before adding that it will ruin the upcoming race in Qatar.

“I don't agree with those artificial limits, but I guess it's just Pirelli being scared after last year, right? A one-stop race, and Pirelli probably thought, ‘Surely they're not going to do it this time… oh no, they are.’ So they just put this artificial limit in place, making a one-stop race impossible,” he explained.

“I don't think it's right that we have to do that in a sport. We talk a lot about avoiding one-stop races, but to impose something artificial, like you saw in Monaco and Qatar [2023], I think it will destroy the race,” Komatsu added.

qatar-gp-max-verstappen-red-bull-weather-jpg

The opening lap of the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Komatsu doubled down on his criticism, insisting that Pirelli does not need to manipulate races artificially, pointing to the Mexico City and Brazil Grands Prix as examples of how exciting races can be without intervention.

“The issue isn’t just about one-stop races. Look at Brazil and Mexico. You don’t need to look any further than that to see the kind of exciting racing you can get when tyre performance pushes teams to the edge of one or two stops, or two or three stops. When multiple strategies can work, that’s when an exciting race happens. For me, that’s what Pirelli needs to aim for.”

This weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix will see the mandatory pitstop rule in effect. Teams can only run a specific tyre compound for a maximum of 25 laps, with Pirelli citing tyre wear as the reason. A similar regulation was in place during the 2023 Qatar race, although that year it was primarily due to kerbs and tyre damage.

Pirelli drops C6 compound for 2026

Earlier, Pirelli announced it would not carry on with its soft C6 compound for the 2026 campaign. The C6, currently the softest on the Pirelli range, had often appeared in several races throughout the season.

Enjoy GPblog’s paddock update!

Stay on top of the action as the Formula 1 grid heads to the Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix. Check out GPblog’s paddock update to ensure you never miss a moment as the action unfolds.

Follow and subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Spotify to make sure you get every insight and scoop as it happens.

Check out the latest episode of our paddock update here 👇