Pirelli explains F1's revised qualifying rule at Imola

Formula 1 is set to trial a new qualifying rule at Imola this weekend that has been devised to help improve sustainability.

The new rule mandates the use in Saturday's qualifying of all three compounds – soft, medium and hard – supplied by Pirelli, assuming the session takes place on a dry track.

However, each compound will be associated with a specific segment of qualifying, with drivers obliged to run on hards in Q1, on mediums in Q2 and on softs in Q3.

Furthermore, F1 has reduced the total number of slick tyres assigned to each driver from 13 to 11 sets for the weekend.

Overall, drivers will be provided with 4 sets of Softs, 4 sets of Mediums and 3 sets of hards.

The number of sets of wet tyres remains unchanged, with four sets of the Cinturato Green intermediate and three sets of the Cinturato Blue full wet tyre.

"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," explained Pirelli motorsport boss 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."

• Read also: Pirelli set to introduce new-spec tyre at British GP

Formula 1 is expected to give the new rule a second trial at a yet-to-be-determined venue in 2023.

This weekend's race at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari will also see Pirelli introduce a new full wet weather compound that will also positively impact the sport's ecological footprint as the tyre will not require the use of electric blankets to pre-warm the rubber.

The product could be a precursor to F1 doing away with tyre blankets altogether in 2024, although several drivers – including Lewis Hamilton – are pushing back on that option.

"Also with the same end in mind, starting with this Grand Prix a new compound for [wet tyres] will be introduced that will not require the use of thermal blankets before being used," added Isola.

"Track tests have shown even better performance than the previous Cinturato Blue Full Wet, even without electrically heating the [tyre].

"This is a first concrete step, the result of studies carried out by Pirelli, toward the use of dry [tyres] without preheating as well."

Pirelli has opted to bring its softer range of compounds to this weekend's race, which means the hard-to-soft C3, the C4, and the C5 compounds will be made available to teams throughout the event.

Imola circuit is the second track on the 2023 calendar – after Baku – to feature the three softest tyre compounds in Pirelli's range.

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