Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu believes the Qatar Grand Prix could be ‘destroyed’ as a result of an emergency rule being implemented. The race at the Lusail International Circuit could be a title decider with Lando Norris on the verge of claiming the individual crown. However, it will not take place under normal conditions after a special rule was approved by tyre manufacturers Pirelli.
The rule will mandate that no tyre, across all sessions over the three days, completes more than 25 laps. It means every driver will be forced to make at least two pit stops over the 57-lap race. The measures have been deemed necessary due to the high levels of tyre wear observed at the Qatar Grand Prix in previous seasons.
While the rule has been introduced with driver safety in mind, Komatsu is not a fan of the decision by Pirelli and has warned that it could ‘destroy the race’.
“I don’t agree with those artificial limits,” he said. “But I guess it’s just Pirelli being scared after last year, right? A one-stop race, and Pirelli probably thought: ‘Surely they’re not going to do it this time… oh no, they are’.
“So they just put this artificial limit in place, making a one-stop race impossible. I don’t think it’s right that we have to do that in a sport.
“We talk a lot about avoiding one-stop races, but to impose something artificial, like you saw in Monaco and Qatar [2023], I think it will destroy the race.”
Komatsu pointed to the excitement of the Mexico City Grand Prix and Brazilian Grand Prix as he insisted there is no need for Pirelli to step in and impose artificial limits.
“The issue isn’t just about one-stop races,” he added. “Look at Brazil and Mexico. You don’t need to look any further than that to see the kind of exciting racing you can get when tyre performance pushes teams to the edge of one or two stops, or two or three stops.
“When multiple strategies can work, that’s when an exciting race happens. For me, that’s what Pirelli needs to aim for.”
Pirelli recently explained the thinking behind their decision to impose the rule in Qatar, saying in a statement: “This measure has been deemed necessary following analysis of the tyres used in 2024.
“Last year, several tyres, particularly the left front, had reached the maximum wear level. These conditions, combined with the high lateral energy, had increased the structural fatigue of the construction.
“In order to reduce the number of pit stops, the teams had worked on tyre degradation management, limiting performance drop off, which sometimes ran the risk of extending the stint beyond the useful life of the tyre.
“A similar precautionary measure had already been introduced at this track in 2023, although that was for different problems which are now resolved.
“That year, repeatedly going over some kerbs had led to micro-lacerations in the tyres’ sidewalls. Last year, the subsequent modification to the pyramid kerbs, along with the addition of strips of gravel around them, had avoided a repetition of this situation.
“As already announced, Qatar will see the use of the hardest compounds in the Pirelli range: C1 as hard, C2 as medium and C3 as soft. As this is a sprint weekend, each driver will be supplied with two sets of hard, four of medium and six of soft.”
