Haas boss Ayao Komatsu has warned that the two-stop rule implemented by Pirelli for the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix will “destroy” the race
The Italian tyre manufacturer announced earlier this month that the high degradation, seen in previous iterations of the event, has forced it to make the bold decision.
Its first hosting of the race in 2021 saw drivers suffer with front-left tyre failures due to the medium to high-speed corners, as well as the rougher surface.
Two years later, a similar limit was introduced, where drivers were forced to increments of 18 laps to box for fresh rubber.
And this year’s race will see a limit of 25 laps in the 57-lap race, brought down due to the nomination of C1, 2 and 3 compounds.
This has led to concerns from the Japanese Team Principal, who told media including Motorsport Week before the Las Vegas Grand Prix: “I don’t agree with those artificial limits, but I guess it’s just Pirelli scared from last year, right?
“One-stop race, and Pirelli probably thought, ‘Surely they’re not going to go this time. Oh no, they’re going.’ So they just put this artificial limit so that it’s impossible to do a one-stop race.
“But for me, I don’t think it’s right that we have to do that in a sport. You know, we’re talking quite a lot about, you know, avoiding one-stop races; but to put something artificial, like you saw in Monaco and you saw in Qatar one year, I think it will destroy the race.
“For me the issue is not just the one-stop. The issue is that, well, you saw Brazil and Mexico. You don’t need to look any further than that to see what kind of exciting race you could have when the tyre performance is on the edge of one or two stops, or two or three stops.
“You know, when the two strategies could work, that’s when an exciting race happens. So, for me, that’s what Pirelli needs to aim for.”
Komatsu cites Monaco as example of how Pirelli rule will make Qatar GP ‘worse’
Earlier this year, the Monaco Grand Prix also had a two-stop rule, implemented by the FIA to combat accusations of boredom after a signifcantly low number of overtakes the year before.
The experiment effectively turned out to be a failure, with less overtakes and an increase of team gameplay to ensure higher track positions.
Komatsu cited this, as well as the 2023 Losail race, as examples of how the race at the Losail International Circuit will have a similar outcome.
“That race was bad, wasn’t it?” he said of 2023. “You know, everybody’s pitstop window exactly the same. So, whenever you do something artificial… Nobody’s stupid, right? People come to basically the same conclusion.
“So, I don’t think it’s going to work, those things. You saw that in Monaco this year as well. You know, you’re trying to really artificially force something, then you made it worse.”
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