Before the race, the FIA decided to limit the length of the distance segment to 18 laps, on tires of any hardness. This was due to Pirelli’s conclusions that on the Losail circuit the tires are subject to specific loads and that there is a high risk of micro-cuts in the sidewalls. That is why the teams were instructed to make three pit stops over a distance of 57 laps.
Most drivers started on Medium tyres, but Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Liam Lawson preferred soft tyres, while Sergio Perez, who started the race from the pit lane, preferred hard tyres.
Mario IsolaDirector of Pirelli Motorsport: “It was a very difficult weekend in many ways and ended with a race that, all things considered, was interesting and hard-fought on the track.
Open communication from all stakeholders – the FIA, Formula 1, teams and drivers – ensured we responded quickly and effectively, as it was important to address the safety issue first.
At the same time, despite all the restrictions imposed by the FIA the audience saw an interesting show, there were duels and overtaking actions on the track. In the near future we will continue to analyze the performance of the tires used this weekend to obtain as much information as possible and share it with the federation.
As the race progressed we saw that granulation was a very serious factor for all compounds, but its level gradually decreased as the track became covered with a layer of waste rubber. The wind was much weaker today than the previous days, so there was less sand and dust on the asphalt, although some remained on the road.
Thermal degradation also affected the performance of the rubber, as track temperatures did not drop below 36 degrees.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
