F1 | Pirelli stays alert in Qatar: the critical factor that could shape the Lusail race. Pirelli warns of extreme tire wear and sharp gravel at Lusail..

The Lusail circuit is revealing a series of challenges, some even unexpected. Pirelli responds to the major question surrounding the Qatar GP.

The 2025 Qatar GP Sprint confirmed a trend already seen on Friday: the gravel at Lusail is extremely sharp, putting both tires and cars to the test. Mario Isola explained in detail why the FIA and Pirelli imposed a maximum 25-lap stint limit for Sunday’s race.

“We expected everyone to use the medium tire: it is the most suitable for the Sprint,” Mario Isola said. “After the race, we saw that wear, especially on the front-left tire, was quite high. Some tires were completely worn. This confirms that limiting stints to 25 laps was the right choice.”

The severity of wear is compounded by the issue of cuts in the tread. Mario Isola confirmed that cuts were again found on several sets on Saturday: “We found cuts in the tread again, like yesterday, although fewer in number. Some were deep, others superficial. There was no structural damage, but we need to monitor the situation because gravel this sharp can puncture a tire.”

Pirelli noted that the reduction in cuts is largely due to driver behavior: “Yesterday, many exceeded the limits, and most cuts occurred there. In qualifying and the Sprint, with track limit penalties in place, everyone was more cautious.”

The aggressiveness of the gravel was also evident in on-track incidents, such as Max Verstappen running wide during Sprint qualifying and returning to the pits with his floor damaged by stones.

Pirelli remains cautiously optimistic. “The situation is under control,” Mario Isola assured. “Tonight we will analyze the Sprint tires. We need to stay vigilant: the track is very fast, and the race pace will be above average.”

For Sunday’s race, all three tire compounds remain available. However, the stint limit will make the pit stop window very similar for all drivers. The theoretically fastest strategy remains medium–medium–soft, but starting on soft tires is not excluded for those aiming to quickly escape traffic.

With a blisteringly quick layout, unforgiving gravel traps and a mandatory two-stop race, tire management looks set to overshadow raw pace when the lights go out – making the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix one of the most strategically open contests of the entire season.