Qatar GP: New tyre rule explained for F1 2025 season's penultimate race and what it means for Lusail weekend

While the three-way battle for Formula 1's Drivers' Championship inevitably takes centre stage at the Qatar Grand Prix, the season's penultimate event also features a specific tyre rule in place for this weekend.

What's the regulation, why has it been introduced and what impact might it have on Sunday's crunch 57-lap race at the Lusail International Circuit? Read on to find out…

What is the new tyre rule for Qatar?

Pirelli has imposed limits on the laps each set of tyres can complete during the Qatar race weekend.

Each tyre set can cover a maximum of 25 laps cumulatively through the weekend's five track sessions.

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The only laps not counted towards the totals are laps from the pit lane to the grid, formation laps and those completed after the chequered flag in Saturday's Sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix.

Pirelli will inform the teams ahead of the Grand Prix how many laps have been completed on their remaining tyre sets. Due to the demanding nature of the Lusail track, Pirelli are bringing their three hardest compounds in their range to the event - the C1 (hard), C2 (medium) and C3.(soft).

Teams start the event with two sets of hard, four of medium and six of soft.

So what does it all mean?

Over to Sky Sports F1's Bernie Collins, former head of race strategy at Aston Martin, to break down some of the key questions around the tyre regulations for this weekend...

Why has the rule been introduced?

Bernie Collins: "Qatar is a high-speed circuit that puts a lot of loads in the tyres.

"In 2023 we had quite aggressive peaks in the kerbs that were actually cutting the sidewalls of the tyres, which is obviously very dangerous due to the high-speed nature of the track and the loads the tyres are under.

"With the very hot conditions and the aggressive kerbs two years ago, they did enforce a structured tyre life of 18 laps, which was more restrictive than what we now have for this year.

"Those kerbs were reprofiled before last year's race, so that is no longer an issue. However, last year we had much cooler conditions in Qatar than we expected and that allowed teams to complete a one-stop strategy because there was very little tyre degradation. That, combined with quite a long pit-loss time, pushed people to complete a one-stop strategy and saw some tyres reach maximum wear level.

"The outer surface had basically worn away and you are on the construction of the tyre. Combined with the potential for the cuttings on the kerb when the tyre is very thin, that is what Pirelli are worried about.

"So wearing it to that very thin level, if you get a cut then it's very dangerous, so that's why they have brought in this limit of 25 laps based on the 35 laps that they had seen people complete last year."

How will it change how teams prepare for the race?

Bernie: "The biggest thing that it will change is that it forces all teams into a two-stop strategy but with 25 laps and only a 57-lap race there is good variability in when you can stop.

"So, unlike two years ago, I think there is a lot of variability possible in strategy.

"It will change how people use tyres and what tyres they save for the race. If the track temperature is cool enough it could have been a one-stop race again without this limitation so therefore teams are going to need another set for the race than they would otherwise have done.

"They will also have to make sure the sets they have available don't already have too many laps on them so that they leave themselves enough flexibility.

"I actually think it might push towards a soft-medium race or at least two sets of medium and one set of hards because you are not going to be running the tyre for a very long time.

"So maybe the advantage of having a hard tyre isn't as great as it would be if you were trying to one stop, for example."

Anything else to consider?

Bernie: "One restriction with the 25 laps is what people can do under certain Safety Cars.

"Pitting under a Safety Car at the beginning of the race with a damaged front wing, for example, would mean you'd still have to stop two more times because you can't get to the end with two sets of 25 laps.

"Equally, if the Safety Car comes out with 26 laps to go you can't stop under that Safety Car so it is quite restrictive in some Safety Car situations and might lead to some oddities there.

"It also restricts the earliest that someone can stop in a normal racing situation.

"If you think someone wants to undercut a car ahead, for example, the earliest you can really stop is lap seven in order to have two 25-lap stints to the end. And, if you do stop on lap seven then, everyone knows exactly which lap you will stop on later on in the race - 32. So that will be interesting."

Will the rule help or hinder certain teams' cars?

Bernie: "I think those that feel they have an advantage on tyre life will feel hindered by it. So maybe McLaren will feel hindered a little bit by it but teams that have better degradation than others will still have better degradation than others and maybe able to push the tyre a little bit harder in the two-stop.

"So I don't think it's a massive pro or con."

Sky Sports F1's Qatar GP schedule

Friday November 28
11.05am: F2 Practice
1pm: Qatar GP Practice (session starts at 1.30pm)*
3.30pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference
4.05pm: F2 Qualifying*
4.50pm: Qatar GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 5.30pm)*

Saturday November 29
1pm: Qatar GP Sprint build-up*
2pm: QATAR GP SPRINT*
3.30pm: Ted's Sprint Notebook*
4.15pm: F2 Sprint
5.15pm: Qatar GP Qualifying build-up
6pm: QATAR GP QUALIFYING
8pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Sunday November 30
11.55am: F2 Feature
2.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Qatar GP build-up
4pm: THE QATAR GRAND PRIX
6pm: Chequered Flag: Qatar GP reaction
7pm: Ted's Notebook

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1's season-ending triple header continues with the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Qatar GP: New tyre rule explained for F1 2025 season's penultimate race and what it means for Lusail weekend