Pirelli has opted for the hardest option as the Qatar GP tyres, citing the track’s similarity to Silverstone and Mugello.
F1 heads to Qatar for the Qatar GP this weekend. It is an all-new race for the sport, and as such, no one really knows how the race will be at the Losail Circuit. The only information we have is that the track has hosted MotoGP events many times.
The 16-turn track has been monitored, and the observations state that it is a very grippy place. This means that tyre degradation will be very high, and the wear and tear of rubber will play a key role in strategy and pitting.
The track hasn’t been resurfaced since 2004. It also boasts many medium-to-high speed corners. Of particular importance will be the triple-apex right-hander from Turn 12 to Turn 14, which will put massive pressure on a car’s left-front tyre.
A high level of track evolution can also be expected due to the dust and sand in the region.
Pirelli thus opted for the hardest option as the Qatar GP tyres, and that means the C1, C2, and C3 compounds will be used.
“Coming to a new circuit isn’t a novel experience for us though, and we rely on simulation data as well as track information that we collect in advance to select the nomination that will be used,” Pirelli chief Mario Isola said, as quoted by motorsportweek.
“We haven’t had the chance to measure the roughness of the asphalt with our instruments, but the promoter provided us with very useful information on the asphalt characteristics.”
Know it when they see it
However, the tyre manufacturer insisted that their projections are not entirely accurate, and that they will know everything only when they arrive in Qatar.
“From what we can see, the hardest tyres in the range will be well-suited to Losail, due to the quite abrasive asphalt and the very demanding corners,” he continued.
“But as we’ve never actually raced there before, we’ll only get a true picture of how the tyres really work on this circuit once we arrive.”
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