The F1 paddock was filled with anticipation on Saturday morning as the Qatar Grand Prix approached its sprint race action. However, the excitement was quickly overshadowed when the FIA announced that Pirelli had uncovered a serious risk of dramatic punctures during the main race on Sunday. This revelation came after Pirelli’s post-practice analysis of tyres used in Friday’s FP1 session, which had completed over 20 laps. The tyres showed signs of sidewall separation between the topping compound and the carcass cords, a result of the pounding they received from the pyramid-shaped kerbs at two corners on the track.
To determine if the issue persisted, Pirelli decided to analyze the condition of the tyres used in Saturday’s 19-lap sprint race. The track had imposed revised limits at the problematic corners and had enhanced kerbs that were causing the separation. Additionally, the high speed at which drivers were navigating the kerbs around the Losail track added to the problem. If Pirelli’s findings concluded that the issue still existed despite the track changes, the grand prix event on Sunday would have involved mandated stint length caps and three pitstops to mitigate the risk of punctures, particularly in high-speed corners.
Following Oscar Piastri’s victory in the sprint race and Max Verstappen’s crowning as the 2023 world champion, Pirelli continued its analysis. However, the three safety car periods during the sprint race complicated the assessment as the soft and medium tyres used were not subjected to the expected strain of a full green flag race stint. Despite this, the FIA made the decision not to disclose the outcome of Pirelli’s investigation until after explaining the situation to all the teams during a meeting in Qatar at 2 pm local time on Sunday.
The initial awareness of the tyre concerns came as a shock to the teams, only being made public on Saturday morning. Team engineers and drivers had not encountered any potential problems during Friday’s practice sessions. The revelation occurred when the first tyres were cut open as part of Pirelli’s routine post-practice analysis. This lack of prior knowledge frustrated some drivers, such as Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who discovered the issue through media reports. It is speculated that this frustration may have influenced the timing of the announcement regarding the tyre rules for the GP race after the upcoming team managers’ meeting.
In a press release issued following the sprint race, the Head of Pirelli Motorsport, Mario Isola, addressed the day’s events. He acknowledged the discovery of micro lacerations in the sidewalls caused by repeatedly going over the kerbs at specific corners, especially Turns 12 and 13. Pirelli promptly notified the FIA of their findings, leading to revised track limits and an additional free practice session before the sprint race to allow drivers to evaluate the new lines through those corners. Moving forward, Pirelli will analyze the sets of tyres returned to them at the end of each day and subsequently share the results with the FIA. Further measures will be implemented for tomorrow night’s grand prix if deemed necessary.
Overall, the discovery of potential punctures by Pirelli has raised concerns and complications for the Qatar Grand Prix. The analysis of the tyres used in the sprint race will provide crucial information regarding the effectiveness of the revised track limits, but the lack of prior communication to the teams and drivers has caused frustration among some. The forthcoming team managers’ meeting will shed light on the decisions and regulations that will shape the main race to avoid any major tyre issues that could potentially hinder the excitement of the event.
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