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TYRES ON THE
TRACK
* For the Qatar Grand Prix, teams will have C1 as P Zero White hard, C2 as P
Zero Yellow medium, and C3 as P Zero Red soft. This is the same nomination
made for the previous race, in Japan.
* As well as new asphalt, there is also new infrastructure at Losail. The
pit garages, originally designed for MotoGP, have been enlarged and
increased in number. There’s also a new race control facility and media
centre.
* The only Qatar Grand Prix held so far was won by Lewis Hamilton. The
Mercedes driver, who started from pole, won ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red
Bull (which set fastest lap) and Fernando Alonso, driving for Alpine at the
time.
* A wide range of strategies was seen two years ago. Half the drivers
started on Softs with the other half on Mediums, while the number of pit
stops varied from one to three. Hamilton won with a two-stopper, completing
two initial stints on the medium tyre before a final stint on the Hard.
* Doha will be a night race, with qualifying and the grand prix starting at
20:00 (local time). On Saturday, the Sprint Shootout will start at 16:00 and
the Sprint race itself at 20:30. There are no support races on the schedule,
which means that the track will not be rubbered in from other cars.
* Although some green spaces were specifically built around the circuit,
sand often blows onto the surface from the surrounding desert. This makes
track evolution another key factor, which will be accentuated by the new
asphalt.
* Ambient temperatures are high in Qatar at this time of year, peaking
beyond 40°C during the week leading up to the race. But the later time of
the sessions compared to 2021 should lead to a wider temperature range than
was seen two years ago. |
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MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF CAR
RACING
“Formula 1 now returns to Qatar, two years after its debut there in 2021.
But in many ways, it’s another new beginning, as the cars are now very
different to the ones we saw a couple of years ago and the Losail circuit
has been completely resurfaced, with modified kerbs as well. On paper, the
track’s main features remain the same – with a main straight just over a
kilometre long and 16 corners – but it’s clear that the changes made over
the last two years mean that the data collected from the first grand prix is
only relatively useful.
In terms of severity, Lusail is a very challenging circuit for tyres,
similar to Silverstone and Suzuka. So it’s no coincidence that the compounds
chosen are the same: C1, C2, and C3. There’s quite a variety of corners,
most of them medium speed and high speed. The series of corners between
Turns 12 and 14 is quite reminiscent of the famous Turn 8 at Istanbul: one
of the most demanding corners for tyres in the recent history of Formula 1.
This sequence is also one of the most influential factors to a good lap
time. The fact that 11 of the 16 corners are right-handers puts particular
stress on the left of the car, especially at the front, but the energy
levels seen going through the tyres in 2021 were still quite well-balanced
between the two axles.
Another factor making the Qatar Grand Prix even more challenging for us as
well as the drivers and the teams is the return of the Sprint format. Just
one hour of free practice will be available on Friday to determine the
set-up and assess tyre behaviour over long runs; furthermore that session
happens in the heat of the day – which will warm up the asphalt – as opposed
to qualifying and the two races, which take place at night. So everything is
in place for an interesting weekend as well as perhaps a few surprises; the
ability to adapt quickly and well to the track could deliver a significant
advantage.” |
