F1 | Ferrari’s strategy for the Qatar GP amid tire limits and crucial strategic calculations
A technical challenge awaits in the desert of Qatar: between the Sprint race, tire degradation and razor-thin margins, Ferrari is preparing for an extremely intense Formula 1 weekend. Just one week after the Las Vegas round, F1 heads to Qatar for the penultimate race of the 2025 World Championship and the final Sprint weekend of the year. The Lusail International Circuit features fast sequences and very high pace, with genuine overtaking opportunities mainly into Turn 1 and the entry to Turn 6. The desert climate almost eliminates the chance of rain, but wind and sand remain two of the most feared adversaries for the teams.
The major talking point, however, is tire management. Each set may be used for a maximum of 25 total laps, a limit imposed by Pirelli after the lateral loads observed in 2024. With 57 laps to complete in the Grand Prix, the rule effectively enforces at least two mandatory pit stops. The three hardest compounds — C1, C2 and C3 — will be used in the usual Sprint format.
The potential strategies
Cameron Roberts, Race Strategy Operations for Scuderia Ferrari, explains that the situation opens the door to several complex scenarios: The 25-lap limit forces two pit stops. Back in 2023, with an 18-lap threshold, we even needed three stops. Teams will have to decide whether to pit early to protect track position or stay out longer hoping for a Safety Car. The latter is the riskier option, but it can gain many places.
Cameron Roberts adds that the race could be more aggressive than in previous years: With short stints you can push harder without too much tire management. This makes qualifying even more decisive because overtaking in Qatar isn’t easy.
The strategist also points out that the Sprint will provide the first real indications of how the cars behave: In the 19 laps of the Sprint I expect the drivers to push flat out from start to finish.
Ferrari arrives in Lusail with a strategy built around pure pace, minimizing degradation and maximizing track position starting from qualifying. The Qatar weekend, often unpredictable, represents the second-to-last opportunity of the 2025 season to make the difference through strategy.
With Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both hungry to end the year on a high, expect the Maranello garage to leave nothing on the table when the lights go out on Friday night at the 5.4-kilometre Lusail International Circuit, located just outside the city of Lusail, north of Doha.
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