Pirelli Finds Deep Tyre Cuts from Qatar Gravel

Pirelli, Formula 1's official tyre supplier, has identified deep cuts on several tyres after Friday's practice and sprint qualifying sessions at the Qatar Grand Prix, prompting increased monitoring for potential punctures during the weekend's races at Losail International Circuit.

The damage, discovered during post-session inspections, stems from sharp gravel dragged onto the track by cars running wide into newly installed gravel strips. These strips, added at the exits of Turns 6 and 16, on the right side of Turn 10, and extended at Turn 14, serve as physical deterrents to enforce track limits amid the circuit's wide concrete run-offs. Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra confirmed the cuts affected tyres from all four corners, with some penetrating deeply into the rubber.

"We had several cuts on the tread," Berra told reporters in Qatar. "I've seen a couple of cuts that were quite deep. They reached the construction, but they didn't cut any cords, luckily. Obviously, if you expose the construction and you pass continuously on this gravel, then you can risk having a puncture."

The gravel's unrounded edges make it particularly abrasive, Berra noted, distinguishing it from similar...