F1 imposes two stop rule for Qatar GP
Formula 1 has introduced a mandatory two stop requirement for this year’s Qatar Grand Prix, a decision shaped by tyre wear patterns that have troubled teams and officials since the track joined the calendar in 2021.
Lusail’s fast, sweeping corners generate unusually high lateral loads, and the combination of heat, speed and abrasive asphalt has made tyre management a recurring challenge for Pirelli and the FIA.
The regulation means that no driver can complete the 57 lap race with fewer than two scheduled pit visits, forcing strategists to revise their run plans for one of the most physically demanding events of the season.
According to BBC Sport, Pirelli recommended the cap after analysing tyres from the 2024 race and advising that a single set should not exceed 25 laps of competitive running.
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Mandatory limits
Under the rule, teams must complete their first change no later than lap 25, and a second stop is required before reaching the finish.
Formation laps and cool down laps do not count toward the limit, but any laps completed behind the safety car or virtual safety car do.
The 19 lap sprint remains unaffected because its shorter distance keeps stint lengths naturally within the safe window.
Pirelli said its inspection of last year’s tyres showed several examples of the left front reaching critical wear thresholds, particularly in the long, high energy corners that dominate the middle sector of the track.
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Although no limit was enforced in 2024, that race still produced notable punctures, including failures for Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.
Wear concerns return
This is not the first time Qatar has required special measures. For the 2023 event, officials imposed an 18 lap stint cap after early weekend data suggested accelerated wear and microabrasions forming on the inner shoulder of several sets.
The 2025 rule continues a broader conversation inside the sport about how modern cars and track designs affect tyre durability.
It is also the second two stop mandate of the season, following Monaco, where the FIA used a similar rule to encourage more overtaking opportunities.
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Tyre choices
To cope with the load, Pirelli has selected its hardest compounds. BBC Sport noted that drivers will have access to C1 hards, C2 mediums and C3 softs for the Grand Prix weekend.
For the sprint, each driver receives two hard sets, four medium sets and six soft sets, with intermediates and full wets available if weather conditions change.
The surface at Lusail has been partially reworked since its first appearance on the calendar, but its combination of speed and heat remains taxing on rubber.
Forecast outlook
Weather is expected to be stable throughout the weekend. BBC forecaster Ian Fergusson said conditions should remain dry, settled and sunny, with temperatures close to seasonal norms.
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Daytime highs are likely to reach the upper 20s Celsius, while sessions held after sunset, including qualifying and the race, should run in the lower 20s. Winds are forecast to stay light to moderate from the north or north east.
The predictable weather means teams can focus fully on tyre life rather than sudden changes in grip level, but with stint lengths capped, strategy is expected to play a central role in how the race unfolds.
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