Pirelli sets limits for Qatar GP
The tire supplier will impose a two-stop rule for safety reasons. Their sets of the hardest compounds will be limited to 25 laps at Lusail.
This weekend’s Formula 1 showdown in Las Vegas could go a long way in deciding whether the championship fight between Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri (24 points back), and Max Verstappen (49 points behind) stays alive until the season finale. But while drivers, teams, and fans are locked in on the drama in Sin City, tire supplier Pirelli is already looking ahead to the next race in Qatar—and making a rare move.
For the Qatar Grand Prix at Losail, Pirelli has mandated two compulsory pit stops during Sunday’s race. Unlike the Monaco experiment earlier this year, this isn’t about spicing up the show—it’s strictly about safety.
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Why the rule?
During the 2024 Qatar GP, Pirelli found Losail’s high-speed layout placed extreme demands on tires in terms of energy load, heat stress, and wear. Some compounds reached maximum degradation, particularly the front-left tire, which takes the brunt of the circuit’s long, fast corners.
To prevent failures, no tire set will be allowed to exceed 25 laps this year. With Sunday’s race scheduled for 57 laps (10:00 a.m. ET), every driver will be required to pit at least twice. The final sprint race of the season will take place Saturday.
FIA and F1 back the decision
The rule was agreed upon in consultation with the FIA and Formula 1 management. Even though Pirelli is bringing its hardest compounds (C1, C2, C3) to Qatar, the company insists the restriction is necessary. Teams were notified two weeks in advance to adjust their strategies.
Pirelli also clarified how lap counts will be tracked:
- All laps across the weekend count toward tire usage, including those under Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car.
- Excluded are laps to the grid before the race, formation laps before lights out, and cool-down laps after the checkered flag in both the sprint and Sunday’s GP.
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— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) October 31, 2025
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Not the first time in Qatar
This isn’t the first time Pirelli has imposed special rules at Losail. In 2023, drivers were also forced into two pit stops, but for a different reason: the circuit’s curbs were cutting into tire sidewalls. That issue was resolved the following year by reshaping the curbs and adding gravel traps.
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