Just as McLaren had ticked off a variable that could see Max Verstappen steal the title from their drivers, the FIA is about to throw the team another curve ball. The race weekend in Brazil was thought to be a good chance for Verstappen to gain more big points on the McLaren duo, but his RB21 looked lacking in pace during Sprint qualifying.
The early morning weather cam shows people on the beach in Sau Paulo which brings into doubt the weather chaos for the Sprint, most have been predicting. With the Grand Prix set to run in dry conditions, the weekend is looking good for McLaren and not so for the world champion.
Next up Las Vegas too is somewhere the F1 constructors’ champions fear. They lose their tyre advantage in the cold desert night conditions in Nevada something which has aided Mercedes in the past. Further the slippery RB21 goes well along the strip and wold be difficult to pass. A weekend McLaren expect to lose ground.
Concerns over Pirelli rubber again!
The comes Qatar. If ever there was a McLaren circuit its in the gulf of Arabia. The high speed nature of there corners suit the MCL39 down to the ground, although it was Vertsappen who took the Sunday honours in 2024. Now the Qatar weekend may not be as straight forward as McLaren had hoped for give Pirelli and the FIA are considering special measures for the race that will take place in sweltering heat.
Discussions aer currently underway between the FIA, Pirelli and the teams as to whether the race should be made a mandatory two stop over concerns that the tyres may be subject to undue duress. Pirelli F1 chief engineer Simone Berra confirmed in Brazil that “we are speaking with the FIA, with the teams, with F1 and we will take a decision very soon”. He further revealed that a mandatory two stop race “is on the table”.
In 2023 there were huge problems in Qatar as following Friday practice Pirelli discovered there were problems with the tyres. Remarkably certain corners were narrowed with painted kerbs introduced on the asphalt to ensure the drivers stayed away from kerbs which were damaging the rubber.
Mandatory 2 stops in Qatar 2023
It was decided that the race wold become a mandatory two stop on Sunday with stones of no more than 18 laps allowed. This is the only Grand Prix where these measures have been forced through on safety grounds.
Pirelli were conducting their customary tyre analysis on Friday which involves cutting sections through the tyre to examine what’s going on underneath the tread. The Italian rubber company discovered the bonding between the carcass and the outer compound had been damaged indicating likely failures were the tyres to be pressed too hard. The damage applied across all three compounds which were restricted by the 18 lap maximum ruling in the Grand Prix.
Last year appeared to the casual observer as though the issue had been resolved given thermal degradation was no longer a problem. The best race strategy was achieved by maximising the length of stints on the medium tyre, which were significantly faster than the hard’s but showed little extra wear.
Sau Paulo GP at risk of cancelation
Punctures in 2024 thought to be debris
Yet both Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) suffered from left punctures in the race but initial thoughts were these were caused by debris. “We had the experience from previous years,” said Berra in Brazil.
“Two years ago, it was more a matter of kerbs. Last year, it was a matter of high wear rate – and volumetric wear especially – that generated some carcass damage. Obviously, we are taking into account all these parameters.
“The structure hasn’t changed too much [this year] in terms of resistance, so we would like to avoid ending up in a similar situation as last year where the teams were able to extend the stint because they didn’t have a big performance loss even running on the under-tread.
“So we are evaluating which options we have on the table and we will decide very soon,” concluded the Pirelli man.
Vettel changes his mind on 2025 drivers’ F1 champ prediction
The FIA nanny state
The question you the jury must answer is whether this is just another example of safety going mad in Formula One. Last weekend in Mexico just as the Grand Prix was reaching a thrilling climax, a virtual safety car was thrown to cover Carlos Sainz stricken Williams car.
Yet the car was in the slowest part of the track – the stadium section – where in all the years of racing there, nobody has ever crashed. Whilst the VSC was with drawn, it was too late for the battle between Verstappen and Leclerc, fighting for second to properly resume given the VSC prevented Max from attacking on theist lap down the long start/finish straight.
There’s always a trade off between being consistent and not using precedent to make the wrong decision at a later time. The FIA officials fear that had they not deployed the VSC, teams would complain in future in similar but obviously different circumstances that the race officials were inconsistent.
Yet the right decision was not to deploy the virtual safety car given nobody was in danger at all. And as to Qatar, the question is why can’t the teams make the right decision over tyre wear, why does it require the FIA to mandate for maximum stints of their use?
Teams should be responsible
F1 team’s strategy departments tend to opt for the conservative strategies, ie a one stop if possible, yet given the potential for tyre failure would anyone wish to risk it all by running tyres down to the carcass?
The powers that be are currently discussing making all F Grand Prix two stop affairs, even when these occur they introduce jeopardy at each pit stop. Further the different strategies create a tyre offset and overtaking then is easier.
Yet mandating a two stop race will merely see the team’s converge on similar strategies for similar circuits. It further removes the excitement of a one stopper – like Lando Norris in Hungary this year, being hunted down by some one on far fresher rubber, with a late race battle between the two.
Sometimes its better to stand back and see what happens. There are no real risks should someone have a puncture in Qatar, and Sainz and Hamilton may have learned the lessons from 2024.
Late F1 rule changes for 2026 being debated
Formula One is embarking on the biggest experiment in its 75 year history for next season. There will be radical changes to the technical regulations for both engines and chassis but there remain concerns over how the new higher powered hybrids will actually work.
The FIA earlier this year held a pow wow in Bahrain in an attempt to persuade the manufacturers to agree to a reduction in the 50/50 split between the electrical power and that fro the internal combustion engine. At least two refused to countenance the matter.
Both the FIA and FOM’s CEO Stefan Domenicali responded in unison, talking down the incoming power units as “complex” and highly “expensive.” It could even see the FIA shorten the cycle of the 2026 powertrains to introduce something simpler and more economic as early as 2030…. READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
