FIA make major track changes to avoid Qatar GP repeat

The FIA, in consultation with Pirelli, has made modifications to the Qatar Grand Prix circuit to avoid the tyre dramas of the 2023 race.

Owing to the shape of the kerbs through the ultra-fast sections of track at Lusail, the structural integrity of the tyres could not be maintained throughout normal stint lengths, with the FIA imposing a maximum lifespan of 18 laps per set of tyres - meaning if a driver had used a set of tyres for four laps earlier in the weekend, it could only be used for 14 laps in the race.

Pirelli found that the possibility of micro-lacerations in the tyre sidewalls between the tread and carcass increased from repeatedly driving over kerbs - leading to an increased possibility of high-speed tyre failures and the imposition of stint lengths by then race director Niels Wittich. 

In preparation for the 2024 Qatar GP, the FIA and Pirelli have worked together, with the pyramid-shaped kerbs having their tips rounded off at seven of the 16 corners at Lusail, including at Turns 1,2,4,10, 12, 13, and 14. 

It was the sequence from Turn 10 to Turn 14 that placed the tyres under the most stress. 

Pirelli used test simulations using a sample of the new kerb-design to ensure its tyres were safe, with further data gathered by recent on-track testing by teams at Lusail, including Mercedes with Andrea Kimi Antonelli in pre-2024 cars.

A gravel trap has also been added on the outside of some kerbs to prevent drivers from running too far wide.

With the high tyre loads, Pirelli has brought the C1 hard tyre, C2 medium tyre and C3 soft tyre to Qatar, the hardest combination in its range - also used at circuits such as Suzuka and Silverstone.

Pirelli is also expecting that graining could be an issue as was in Las Vegas, albeit for different reasons. 

Whilst the cold in Vegas led to a lack of grip and the tyres sliding, the heat expected from the track could create significant thermal degradation.