Mario Isola on the choice of tires for the Qatar Grand Prix

At the Qatar Grand Prix, Pirelli tire manufacturers will bring a solid three compounds: C1, C2 and C3. The head of the Pirelli racing division, Mario Isola, explained the reasons for this choice of the Losail circuit.

Mario Isola: “Formula 1 returns to Qatar two years after the debut race in 2021. But in many ways this is a new start: the cars now are different from the ones we saw a few years ago, and at the Losail circuit the asphalt has been completely replaced and the curbs have been adjusted. In theory, the main features of the circuit have not changed: the straight of almost a kilometer and sixteen corners, but given all the changes on the circuit, the information we received in the first Grand Prix can only be considered partially useful.

In terms of tire loads, the Losail circuit is comparable to Silverstone and Suzuka. It is therefore no coincidence that we chose the same compositions as for those routes: C1, C2 and C3. There are quite a few corners, most of which are medium and fast. The section from turns twelve to fourteen is very reminiscent of turn eight of the Istanbul circuit – one of the most difficult for tires in the modern history of Formula 1. At Losail, this combination of corners has a significant impact on the lap time.

Another factor that makes the Qatar Grand Prix more difficult for us as drivers and teams is the return of the sprint. On Friday there is just one one-hour practice session during which settings are selected and the behavior of the tires is evaluated over a long series of laps. Furthermore, the session will take place during the day in intense heat, while qualifying and both races will take place under artificial lighting.

This way we have all the ingredients for an interesting weekend and possible surprises. The ability to quickly adapt to the track can provide a noticeable advantage.”