F1 announces shock new rule ahead of Qatar Grand Prix

November 17, 2025 Oliver Obel

Anyone who has followed the last few Qatar rounds won’t be shocked. Lusail has long been rough on tyres, thanks to a combination of fast corners, abrasive surface patches and kerbs that punish anyone who drifts even slightly off line. Teams flagged the issue again after last year’s race, and conversations between Pirelli, the FIA and Formula 1 have been going on quietly ever since.

Those discussions picked up again during the winter, according to reporting from The Race, which noted that several teams were concerned about a repeat of the unusually high wear rates seen in 2024.

Reports point to a 25-lap cap

Racing News 365 was the first to report that officials had settled on a hard 25-lap maximum for each tyre set. The outlet said the goal was to reduce the chance of a blowout, something that has hovered over this event since it joined the calendar.

It’s worth remembering the contrast: in 2023, an 18-lap limit was imposed on the fly after practice-session tyre checks raised alarm bells. In 2024, drivers were technically free to attempt one-stoppers again, but several sets still picked up internal damage.

What went wrong last time

The Race reported that repeated kerb strikes at high speed caused significant trouble last year. Both Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton suffered punctures, and Pirelli later said multiple tyres — especially the left-front — “had reached the maximum wear level” and were showing signs of “structural fatigue.”

This year’s limit is meant to avoid getting anywhere near that danger zone.

Pirelli confirms the rule

In a technical note circulated to the grid, Pirelli wrote:

“In Qatar, a limit will be introduced for the number of laps that each set of tyres can cover over the course of the whole race weekend.”

It explained that the rule had been signed off following regular meetings with the FIA, Formula 1 and all 10 teams. Lusail, Pirelli added, continues to place unusually heavy energy and heat load into the tyres — a combination that is difficult to manage, even with the hardest compounds available.

How the counting works

The 25-lap cap applies across the entire weekend, not just the Grand Prix. Mileage behind a safety car or virtual safety car still counts. Mileage to the grid, formation laps and cooldown laps do not.

Before the race begins, Pirelli will inform teams exactly how many laps remain available on each set — a logistical wrinkle that will likely become part of the weekend’s story.

Given the race distance of 57 laps, nobody will be able to stretch a set far enough to get away with fewer than two pit stops. Some teams expect three.

Tyre allocation for the sprint weekend

For the sprint format, drivers will receive:

Two sets of C1 (hard)
Four sets of C2 (medium)
Six sets of C3 (soft)

The compressed schedule usually forces teams to lean harder on their tyre sets, and with the new restrictions, practice mileage may look very conservative.

Championship tension adds another layer

All of this comes as McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri continue their title fight, with Max Verstappen still lurking just far enough behind to matter. Strategy already plays an outsize role at Lusail; now it may prove decisive.

Sources: Racing News 365; The Race