F1 to test new qualifying rules this week at Imola

Qualifying will look a little different this weekend ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Pirelli, the official tyre supplier for Formula 1, along with F1 are introducing new qualifying rules regarding which compounds the teams can use during each segment of qualifying.

Called the “‘Alternative Tyre Allocation” (ATA), teams now see their total amount of slick tyre compounds for the weekend reduced from 13 to 11. These will be divided into three hard tyres, four medium tyres, and four soft tyres.

With respect to qualifying, teams are now facing fixed compounds for each session. During Q1, the first segment of qualifying, teams are required to use the hard compound. Teams that advance through to Q2 then switch to the medium compound, and the final ten teams left standing for Q3 can finally switch to the soft compound.

The ATA is a move towards sustainability.

“At Imola we will be testing a new regulation that requires teams to use a different type of compound for each of the three sessions, with the hards fitted for Q1, the mediums for Q2, and the softs for Q3,” said Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola. “This means a reduction - from 13 to 11 - of the sets of dry tyres that each driver has available for the entire event, therefore decreasing the environmental impact generated by the production and transport of the tyres.”

Another move towards sustainability involves the Cinturato Blue, the new full wet tyre that Pirelli is bringing to Imola. This compound — which may come in handy given the forecasts for the weekend — does not require the use of a thermal tyre blanket. Previous versions of this compound required the use of a tyre warmer to get the compound ready for the track.

“Also with the same end in mind, starting with this Grand Prix a new compound for Full Wet tires will be introduced that will not require the use of thermal blankets before being used.” said Isola. “Track tests have shown even better performance than the previous Cinturato Blue Full Wet, even without electrically heating the tire. This is a first concrete step, the result of studies carried out by Pirelli, toward the use of dry tires without preheating as well.”

As for the slick tyre compounds teams can use this week, Pirelli has designated the C3, the C4, and the C5 as the hard, medium, and soft tyres this weekend. These are the three softest in Pirelli’s array, and these were the three compounds designated for use in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

What makes that notable is that the C3 compound that weekend was perhaps the big winner. Both Esteban Ocon and Nico Hülkenberg, who were forced to start from pit lane due to changes made to their cars after qualifying, began the race on the C3 compound. The two drivers were still inside the points late in the race, with Ocon in particular looking like he could have done all 51 laps around the Baku City Circuit on the C3 compound. Only a mandatory pit stop to change tyre compounds prevented him from accomplishing that feat.