MONDAY MORNING DEBRIEF: How the mandated tyre limits shaped an unusual Grand Prix in Qatar

In winning the Qatar Grand Prix Max Verstappen was about the only driver not needing to push flat-out through the Lusail circuit’s sequence of interlinked fast corners for the whole race. He drove almost as if this was a routine 2023 Grand Prix where the tyres have to be managed.

On this occasion tyre management wasn’t required because of the highly unusual situation of an artificial limit of 18 laps per set – imposed by the FIA after Pirelli reported on Friday that there were signs of possible delamination of the compound from the carcass as a result of damage inflicted by the ‘pyramid’ kerbs.