All articles tagged with #qatar gp
The Qatar Grand Prix was unusual due to a 25-lap tyre limit and a safety car incident, with McLaren's strategy error impacting Oscar Piastri's race, while Red Bull appeared more competitive despite the chaos.
Max Verstappen won the Qatar GP, closing the gap in the F1 championship race to 12 points, as McLaren's strategic errors cost them crucial points, setting up a tense final race in Abu Dhabi with Norris and Piastri also in contention.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri has regained his form in Qatar, excelling on high-grip circuits which suit his driving style, according to team principal Andrea Stella. His performance contrasts with struggles on low-grip tracks, emphasizing technical adaptation over mental factors. The team's unexpected speed in high-speed sectors and close competition with Red Bull and Mercedes highlight the evolving dynamics of the F1 season.
George Russell expressed frustration over McLaren's tactics during the Qatar F1 sprint race, where he was relegated to third place. McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri worked together to keep Russell at bay, with Norris allowing Piastri to use DRS to maintain his position. Despite Russell's attempts to overtake, McLaren's strategy proved effective, leading to Piastri's victory. Russell criticized the defensive maneuvers as infuriating, though he acknowledged the strategic advantage it provided McLaren.
The three-stop Qatar Grand Prix in Formula 1 is posing challenges for teams due to a shortage of tyre options. With teams having burned through more sets of soft tyres during the sprint race weekend, they are left with limited new sets of medium and hard tyres for the main race. Only four drivers have enough fresh rubber for each stop, while the rest, including the frontrunners, have only one set of new hards and mediums. The FIA has mandated a maximum stint length of 18 laps for each tyre set, excluding in and out-laps, to ensure safety. Teams are adapting their strategies accordingly.
The FIA will decide on whether to implement mandated stint length caps and three pitstops for the Qatar Grand Prix after a meeting with teams on Sunday. Pirelli discovered a risk of punctures during the main race due to sidewall separation caused by the high-speed corners and kerbs at the Losail track. The analysis of the tyres used in the sprint race will determine if the issue persists. The outcome of Pirelli's investigation will be revealed after the team managers' meeting.
The FIA has introduced emergency safety measures for the Qatar Grand Prix after evidence of sidewall separation in Pirelli tyres. The issue is believed to be caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyres and new kerbs at the Losail circuit. The FIA has revised track limits and scheduled an extra practice session to evaluate the situation. If further problems arise, tyre usage will be limited to 20 laps for new tyres and 22 laps for used tyres in the race, with mandatory pitstops. Concerns have been raised by drivers about the aggressive kerbs and their impact on car stability.
Max Verstappen topped the first practice session for the F1 Qatar GP, using soft tires to set a time of 1m27.428s. The session was challenging due to high winds and sandy residue on the new track surface, causing grip issues for the drivers. Fernando Alonso initially led the session but ended up in fourth place. Carlos Sainz Jr. finished second, followed by Charles Leclerc in third. Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top six.