Nov.18 (GMM) Pirelli has confirmed it will impose a strict tyre-mileage limit at the Qatar GP next weekend – a move that will make a two-stop race unavoidable at the penultimate round of the season.
The Italian supplier has now formalised the measure following weeks of speculation about safety concerns at the high-load, high-energy Losail circuit.
“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,” Pirelli stated.
“The laps will be counted cumulatively across all track sessions, including laps run under the Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car.”
With the race distance set at 57 laps, the cap will force every driver into at least two pitstops.
Pirelli said the rule follows a detailed review of last year’s event.
“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 type of restriction was used in 2021, when aggressive kerbs at Lusail caused micro-tears in tyre sidewalls. That problem was largely resolved last year after work on kerbs and gravel strips, but Pirelli says the circuit’s combination of long, fast corners and abrasive surface continues to push the construction to its limits.
For the sprint weekend, teams will again use the hardest range – C1, C2 and C3 – with 2 sets of Hards, 4 Mediums and 6 Softs available.
The confirmation also comes just days after the FIA revealed that broader proposals for mandatory two-stop grands prix from 2026 remain under discussion but have not been approved.
“A proposal to explore mandatory two pitstops for grands prix was discussed along with adjustments to tyre specifications, tyre-life limits and the use of three compounds during the race,” the federation said after last week’s F1 Commission meeting.
“No changes were presently agreed, but it was agreed that talks on this topic would continue during the 2026 season.”
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