Qatar: will rounded curbs reduce tire stress at Lusail International Circuit?

Today at 03:50 AM

Formula 1 returns to the Middle East for the season's final stretch. With the Drivers' Championship wrapped up following Max Verstappen's fourth consecutive triumph, the battle for the Constructors' title remains wide open, with three teams – McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull – still in contention and 103 points up for grabs.

The final double-header of the longest season in Formula 1 history begins in Qatar, which will also host the sixth and final Sprint weekend of the year. Over 13,000 kilometers and 11 time zones separate Las Vegas from Doha. The two Grands Prix share the characteristic of being held at night and being located near vast desert areas, but the similarities end there. In Nevada, the race was on a street circuit with medium- and low-speed corners and air and track temperatures barely above 10°C. In Qatar, the Grand Prix is run on a permanent circuit featuring medium- to high-speed corners and temperatures around 25°C.

Regarding tire types, only one compound, the C3, will be used during both weekends. At Lusail, which subjects tires to energy levels comparable to tracks like Suzuka and Silverstone, Pirelli will provide the hardest compounds in its 2024 range, with the C3 as the Soft, C2 as the Medium, and C1 as the Hard.

This is the third edition of the Qatar Grand Prix, following the races in 2021 and 2023. Last year's weekend was marked by a decision from the FIA to impose a maximum of 18 laps per tire set during the race, effectively leading to three pit stops per driver. This decision came after Pirelli's engineers, following their usual analysis of returned tires from the first and second days of track action, identified the potential for micro-cuts on the tire shoulders due to impacts from repeated runs over the curbs in certain corners.

In the months leading up to this Grand Prix, the FIA and Pirelli collaborated on a plan to avoid a repeat of 2023's issues. The pyramidal curbs have been modified—rounding off their tips—in seven of the track's 16 corners: the first two after the start, Turn 4, Turn 10, and the section between Turns 12 and 14, which caused the greatest stress on tire shoulders. Pirelli's R&D Motorsport department conducted extensive tests on dynamic benches in Milan using a sample of the new curbs provided by the FIA. Additionally, tires used during tests by some Formula 1 teams in recent weeks at Lusail were analyzed. Although these tires were not identical to the 2024 range, the data collected was helpful in validating the simulations and findings from bench tests.

It's also worth noting that the FIA has added a gravel strip beyond some curbs to discourage drivers from exploiting them to gain an advantage.

Another notable aspect of last year's edition was the high humidity levels on Sunday, which, combined with the high October temperatures in Qatar, severely tested the physical endurance of the drivers. Some suffered so much from the heat inside the cockpit that it forced a few to retire. This year, conditions are expected to be better, as the race is taking place over a month later. However, that incident prompted the FIA World Motor Sport Council to decide on the introduction of a standard cockpit cooling system for the hottest Grands Prix starting in 2025.

It will still be difficult to avoid high asphalt temperatures at Lusail, which was resurfaced for last year's Grand Prix, making graining a potential issue. This could significantly impact strategies, as tires might suffer from severe thermal degradation. With only limited historical data, predictions are challenging. Aside from 2023, in 2021, some drivers managed a one-stop strategy, while others, including the top two finishers, Hamilton and Verstappen, used a two-stop strategy. Tire usage was also highly variable, as were strategies in last year's Sprint, where 12 drivers started on Mediums and eight on Softs.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have dominated the two previous editions of the Grand Prix, each claiming one victory and one pole position. The Dutchman holds a slight edge with two fastest laps and a second-place finish in 2021. Other podium finishers include Alonso (third with Alpine in 2021) and Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who finished second and third last year, respectively.

The Qatar Grand Prix will also be the penultimate round of two support series—FIA Formula 2 and F1 Academy—both of which use Pirelli as their sole tire supplier.

Minimum starting pressures (slick tires):
Front: 26.0 psi
Rear: 22.5 psi

Maximum camber:
Front: -2.75°
Rear: -1.50°

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