George Russell believes no one should be “putting any heat on Pirelli” for the 25-lap tyre limit imposed for Formula 1‘s Qatar Grand Prix.
The Lusail International Circuit has been the venue for some explosive races since its introduction on the calendar in 2021.
The high-speed nature of the track, initially designed for MotoGP, is very front-limited for F1 cars.
The loads that the front tyres take, especially the front left, lead to high degradation and chances of punctures.
In fact, the inaugural race in 2021 saw as many as four drivers suffer punctures during the Grand Prix.
This season, Pirelli, the sport’s official tyre supplier, has imposed a 25-lap stint limit for the 57-lap race on Sunday – pushing it into a confirmed two-stop territory.
And while Pirelli has attracted criticism, Russell was quick to defend them, given his own experiences with the compounds at the track.
“When we see the tyre wear after the race, we’ll get an indication. I think the vibration was probably coming from major tyre wear,” he told media including Motorsport Week, addressing reports of vibrations during the 19-lap Sprint race on Saturday.
“In those corners, if you saw a slow-motion replay of the front left, it’s all going to be rolling over onto the outside edge of the tyre. That’s the bit that’s going to give up first.
“I think it’s required to put this limit in because, at the end of the day, if you make a tyre for a 24-race season that is specifically designed for a track like Qatar, you’ll then struggle everywhere else, if that makes sense.
“Or you’ll have different issues everywhere else. I don’t think we should be putting any heat on Pirelli. They’ve made the best tyre possible for 24 races. But it’s just the nature of this track, being so quick, they need to introduce something like that.”
Piastri seconds Russell’s Pirelli defence
Oscar Piastri cruised to the Sprint win, closing his gap to championship Leader Lando Norris to 22 points, but he also suffered from vibrations during the race.
“I think when you’ve got a vibration that comes from driving and not doing anything, no lock-ups or anything, it’s never a great sign, I think, in terms of safety,” he said.
The McLaren driver, however, highlighted how the front tyres were exposed to more duress than the rears.
“I think it’s the front tyres that are the main problem,” he examined.
“I think the risk of having a catastrophic shunt from a rear puncture is probably pretty low.”
Reacting to the Pirelli-imposed stint limit, the Australian supported Russell, backing the Italian tyre manufacturer.
“Whenever you’ve got to put a limit in for things like this, it’s a little bit of a concern,” he explained.
“Everything was fine in the Sprint. There was a bit of a vibration. It’s not the first time we’ve had a vibration from just driving, but I think it should be fine. I think they’ve taken the [right] measures.”
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