Formula 1 drivers will be required to use specific tyre compounds during different stages of qualifying in a trial of a new format next year.
The change to next year’s rules is detailed in updated sporting regulations for the current season issued by the FIA.The F1 Commission agreed earlier this week to trial a reduction in the total number of tyre sets permitted for a race weekend from 13 to 11. This will take place at two races next year where a ‘Revised Qualifying Format’ is to be used.
Drivers will receive half as many soft compound tyres for these events as usual – four instead of eight. The allocations of medium and hard tyres will increase by one each, to four and three respectively. In a further change, drivers will be required to use one of each of these compounds during the regular, three-stage qualifying session.
Each driver will only be permitted to run on the hardest compound of dry tyres in Q1. The medium compound will be mandatory in Q2 and those who reach Q3 may only use the soft tyres.
In a statement released after the F1 Commission meeting on Tuesday, the FIA noted that a test run of reduced tyre compounds at two race weekends in the 2023 season would be carried out “to evaluate the impact of the reduction in tyre allocation on track-running, with the overall intention to move to more sustainable use of tyres in the future.”
Rules changes approved for this year include scrapping the maximum number of tyre testing days of 30 permitted in the season, as well as clarifications over the use of so-called ‘mule cars’ and what the FIA will recognise as ‘genuine car damage’ sustained in incidents for rules purposes.
The Commission also discussed expanding the number of sprint races to six next year, but the FIA is yet to grant its approval for the change. The first edition of the 2023 F1 sporting regulations has yet to be published.
Revised 2023 F1 driver tyre allocations
| Tyre | Revised Qualifying Format | Qualifying | Sprint Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| Medium | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Hard | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 11 | 13 | 12 |
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Sham (@sham)
29th April 2022, 18:59
They should be freeing up the tyre compound rules instead of making up more that don’t help the racing.
It’s time to end mandatory pit stops and allow the teams to get to end the best way they can.
SHR Modding
29th April 2022, 21:58
Think about it though. It does help the racing. I’ll leave you to do the thinking bit
pastaman
29th April 2022, 22:28
Does it though? Just think about it
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
30th April 2022, 3:21
No it does not. F1 got rid of a dumb rule, going back to natural racing has greatly benefitted the show. The 2 compound rule and drs are the 2 final obstacles and f2 is thinking of erecting another one. Big teams like these dumb rules because they can exploit them, like sprint races, 8 extra points out of a dominant weekend.
bosyber (@bosyber)
2nd May 2022, 8:31
It just means that the back of the grid won’t be running on the softer tyres, and if one has an issue a last gasp effort won’t be as easy. Seems like it would just reduce choice for teams and suspense for viewers. And amount of tyres indeed, as the only positive
Outer Bongolia
1st May 2022, 1:16
They should just have a simple rule
* A driver has to use ALL tires that they used in qualifying.
* After they use up al the tires they used in qualifying, they are free to use new tires
* At least two compounds need to be used in the race.
* In case of rain during the qualifying or the race, a driver will not have to use all the tires. Still, if they want to use the same compound as qualifying, they have to attach the ones used in qualifying first.
Niki101
29th April 2022, 19:11
Why not design proper tires that can last an entire weekend and bring back refueling?
More sustainable and we (hopefully) don’t have to listen to any more talk about tires.
Imre (@f1mre)
29th April 2022, 19:25
Sustainable. Remember the jets flying above Imola last week? They were soooo sustainable fighter jets. Zero emission.
Scrap one practice session instead and you automatically save 2 sets of tyres. They shouldn’t make things more complicated in quali.
grat
30th April 2022, 1:08
So, the logical conclusion of this progression is zero practice sessions, 1 set of tires for all three qualifying sessions, and screw the race, IndyCar’s more interesting.
Formula 1 is being nibbled to death by myopic decisions that will make the patient healthier– but dead.
Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
1st May 2022, 0:24
@f1mre the amount of carbon those jets released pales in comparison to the amount of carbon required to manufacture and transport all those tyres.
Keith Campbell (@keithedin)
29th April 2022, 19:25
I’m not against trialling new formats, but I’m struggling to see the intention of this one. I guess teams might have to compromise setups a bit to make sure they can perform on harder compounds over one lap to get through Q1 and Q2. But does that add anything to ‘the show’? I’ve only thought about it for a couple of minutes so maybe there’s an angle that hasn’t occurred to me yet.
Jason Blankenship (@jblank)
29th April 2022, 20:57
Agreed.
SHR Modding
29th April 2022, 21:59
Slower cars get new sets of tyres for the race
grat
30th April 2022, 1:11
Top 10 qualifiers have to start the race on square tires, and the next race weekend, to level the field, will not be allowed to take part in any practice sessions.
Starting in 2025 the qualifying order will be decided by mock fights with predetermined outcomes based on fan popularity.
Formula One as a credible championship will be dead by 2030.
This is the FIA / Liberty equivalent of rearranging deck chairs while the ship is filling with water.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
29th April 2022, 19:37
Why not just ditch the whole compounds idea altogether? X number of sets of dry tyres per weekend… wouldn’t that be more eco than having soft medium and hard tyres at every grand prix, one of which is hardly used depending on weather/track conditions?
f1andrea
29th April 2022, 20:08
Always try new things just for do it…why 2 races has to be raced with different rules, just why? So angry..this is another f.. stupid thing made in LibertyMerda
Dex
29th April 2022, 19:39
OK, that’s all nice and well, but I have only one question – why? This is just some random game someone’s decided to play with the rules, as far as I can understand. “Hey, what if we…” kind of thinking, just to change something, do something new, because someone there believes that’s what excites the fans; plus it seems like he/she is actually doing something. If you make a change of rules, do so for a reason, something you can explain why you’re doing it, and if it works it works, if not OK, it happens. Why are they even trying this potential new rule?
SHR Modding
29th April 2022, 22:00
Well the slower drivers will have more new sets for the race. Aka baked in advantage. Could make the race more interesting
pastaman
29th April 2022, 22:34
3 new sets vs 2 new sets (assuming 1 set used in practice) isn’t really an advantage when virtually every race is a 1- or 2-stopper.
hobo (@hobo)
2nd May 2022, 1:20
Who? The 11th and 12th cars will have a slightly better tire option than 9th and 10th? (and 16th compared to 15th.)
I’m not saying that those positions don’t matter, but it’s not making the race. It’s making rules THAT much harder to follow for zero benefit. How about find a way to get rid of gimmicks rather than making more?
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
29th April 2022, 19:45
The one thing most seem to agree upon is that Qualifying is the one thing that doesn’t need changing. Why is it near constantly played with? How many Hard sets are going to do a couple of laps on the slowest cars and then be sent for shredding? Just seems a pointless fix to something that isn’t a problem.
f1andrea
29th April 2022, 20:09
Totally agree..
SHR Modding
29th April 2022, 22:03
Because its the only way you change up the starting order for the race duh. If qualifying goes as planned the fastest car starts at the front and the slowest at the rear. Not exactly what you want if you want an action packed race with battles and such. There’s a reason that mixed up grids produce the best races.
pastaman
29th April 2022, 22:39
The only way? Really? So many assumptions in this comment.
PeterG
29th April 2022, 23:48
Which is the whole point of qualifying and the reason a vast majority of fans like qualifying.
If you want an artificially mixed up grid just for the sake of artificially spicing up the show then go watch a lesser category that uses gimmicks like reverse grids or something.
stefano (@alfa145)
30th April 2022, 1:33
surely having the same tires for everyone will produce much more of what you want, i.e. a mixed up grid, right?
petebaldwin (@)
30th April 2022, 2:18
Above you said it gives the slower drivers more tyres and now you’re saying it’ll mix up the grid. Which is it?
I can’t personally see how it’ll do either. They’ll just qualify in Q1 on hards which will mean several warm up laps (always great to watch) and we’ll end up with the same grid we would have anyway….
SteveM
29th April 2022, 19:50
I’d love it if they kept it simple. In my opinion, qualifying should be nothing more than finding out who can do the fastest single lap round each track. Race strategy should not come in to it.
I’d love to see a “qualifying tyre” that everyone has to use for qualifying. 1 and only 1 set of fresh tyres per qually session.
Then for the race, the teams are free to pick whatever tyre/strategy choice they wish with any combination of Hard/Medium/Soft tyres they wish. F1 for me is as much about strategy as it is about the cars and drivers.
SteveM
29th April 2022, 19:52
To clarify, when I say 1 set per qually session, I mean a fresh set for Q1, another for Q2 and another for Q3.
Jere (@jerejj)
29th April 2022, 19:57
I fail to see any point in such a trial.
Forcing the hardest compound available in qualifying, who comes up with such ideas?
Qualifying should be all about pushing on the limit using the softest compound throughout.
”If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
29th April 2022, 20:53
This seems silly. They only reason they stated is to find out if they can reduce the number of tires allocated for each weekend. There are far easier and more beneficial ways to reduce the environmental impact of F1 than to save some tires each weekend. This is just going to make qualifying seem contrived and it will be less compelling.
F1’s owners love to sabotage themselves.
PMccarthy_is_a_legend (@pmccarthy_is_a_legend)
29th April 2022, 21:01
Here we go, let the complaining begin. Any hint of a change and people on this website get all up in arms. Its DRS they don’t like, but without it the races are too processional. Or the tyre rules are wrong. Or the sprint races. It’s always something. Good Lord….
SHR Modding
29th April 2022, 22:05
Haha I have to agree there! At least be thankful you have an actual 2 horse race people! Partly because the regulations were so prescriptive which is another thing they complained about lol. Like when’s the last time we had a 2 horse race with this big a regs change?
PeterG
29th April 2022, 23:55
@pmccarthy_is_a_legend Maybe because most on this site and others are dedicated fans who actually understand and appreciate the sport rather than the artificial gimmick ridden show it’s been turned into.
And also since most here understand the sport we are able to see through these gimmicks and know how fake the ‘racing’ (if you can call some of it that) that results actually is.
Artificial gimmicks should be above the pinnacle of the SPORT! Leave those to the lesser categories which virtually nobody watches perhaps because a vast majority of actual racjng fans don’t like and don’t want silly artificial gimmicks creating a fake feeling show.
ThreePurpleSectors (@)
30th April 2022, 0:23
@PeterG, y’all have to stop calling it a gimmick first if you want your criticism to be taken seriously. It’s not a gimmick, it’s a solution to a very real physics/aero problem. Aero is here to stay. Get over it!
petebaldwin (@)
30th April 2022, 2:12
It’s a solution to a problem but it creates an even bigger problem itself.
In terms of getting over it – nah. It’s crap and is ruining F1 so I’ll continue to point out how bad it is every time it’s mentioned.
ThreePurpleSectors (@)
30th April 2022, 2:45
@petebaldwin,
False! Stop being hyperbloic. Not a single has been ruined by DRS. The lack of it however has lead to processions and pitstop racing. Racing is from start to finish not just lap 1 and pitstop.
PMccarthy_is_a_legend (@pmccarthy_is_a_legend)
30th April 2022, 7:39
Booo I am a dedicated fan I always think I know better. Anything I don’t agree with I call it a gimmick. I don’t like any change….
Oh give it a rest, grow up and if you don’t like it watch something else.
anon
30th April 2022, 9:01
@pmccarthy_is_a_legend instead of just complaining that others have an opinion you dislike, do you have anything positive to contribute to the discussion by offering an argument for why this idea is supposed to be beneficial?
PMccarthy_is_a_legend (@pmccarthy_is_a_legend)
30th April 2022, 9:21
Anon commenters get no credit or right of an opinion. If you are too lazy to even set up an account, I assume you aren’t prepared to have an intelligent discussion. Discussing anything with anons on the internet is a waste of time. Next…
anon
30th April 2022, 15:21
@pmccarthy_is_a_legend I see little intention from you to try to have any sort of intelligent discussion with individuals who do have registered accounts either, and that intentional harassment is unlikely to make people want to register an account if your intention would be to then bombard others with abusive messages.
Again, I am inviting you to try and make a positive contribution by asking if, rather than just wanting to throw insults at others and behaving in a petulant manner, you actually want to try making an argument for why this change might be a good thing. Do you actually think this proposal is a good idea, and why, or are your intentions solely malicious and you just want to use this as a platform to abuse and harass others?
Anon
30th April 2022, 14:31
I feel like you sort of have it the opposite way around. F1 is for prime time. It’s meant to appeal to a wide variety of people. That’s how it sustains itself.
It’s hardcore racing enthusiasts like yourself who should be sticking to the niche categories. There are reasons why fewer people watch those: less drama, less politics and less spectacle. It fully addresses all the complaints that routinely show up from racing purists. If you want pure racecraft, go watch those.
stefano (@alfa145)
30th April 2022, 1:37
this is giving the backmarkers zero chance to see how fast they can be during any official session… nice thinking F1, another little step in the wrong direction
floodo1
30th April 2022, 4:10
Are we going back to the era where they change the quali rules every year lololol
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
30th April 2022, 8:19
This would be a fine rule.. If teams were able to switch on different compounds equally.
But as it seems, there are wildly different aero loads pushing down on these tires, and would create artificiall gaps in performance – bad for racing.
Maybe instead just give teams complete freedom, 8 sets per driver for quali, 5 sets for the race and 1 set extra for sprint quali. No mandatory pitstops!
There is no point really talking about sustainability while you move stuff around in jets.
Make tyres recyclable like formula E.
Qeki (@qeki)
30th April 2022, 8:32
Scrap the q2 tyre rule to make q123 rule
elchinero (@elchinero)
30th April 2022, 12:54
Recall “Qualifying” engines … mega-bhp. Hand grenades. Big Fun, while it lasted. Just sayin’
Pedro (@)
30th April 2022, 17:27
Huh? Didn’t they get rid of this rule to free up the strategies?
Coventry Climax
30th April 2022, 21:06
This new rules article is the bunch of croc that should have gone under the caption competition.
JC
30th April 2022, 21:09
No, no, no, no, no!
Stop messing with qualifying! Put this idea in the bin along with sprint races.
So fed up with F1.
Gabriel (@gabf1)
30th April 2022, 22:07
I reckon the real hope here is that not all cars perform as well on the different compounds, in turn mixing up the starting order.
Oh and some convenient environmental saving too…
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
1st May 2022, 4:46
If they truly wanted to reduce the use of tyres, then surely they should make the teams do ALL of qualifying on one set of hard tyres.
Hell why not make the teams do multiple weekends on a single set like they do with PU’s
Give the shift to 18” rims, maybe they should stick commercially available road tyres on – they’d last a good few races.
And yes …. I’m being sarcastic.
S
1st May 2022, 14:22
They are actually good ideas, @dbradock.
Sadly, many people can’t bear the thought of F1 not being the pinnacle of wastefulness.