A server crash for Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli meant it was unable to provide its usual data for timing screens and broadcast graphics during 2024 Mexican Grand Prix qualifying.

The issue first became apparent when the McLaren drivers who, like their Ferrari rivals, were sent out on medium tyres at Q1’s commencement.

But F1’s broadcast graphics continued to show them as running soft tyres at this stage, while later issues arose with data that is supposed to state if a driver is running new or used tyres.

This is particularly pertinent for qualifying given the drivers regularly try and get through different stages of the session using older tyres so they can enjoy the best grip from new ones for their critical later runs.

When asked what had happened at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez by Autosport/Motorsport.com, Pirelli motorsport Mario Isola said: “There was a crash of the system. Basically, the system was not working.

“We didn’t receive the data from the tablet [used to log the tyres each driver is on when leaving the garage], so we didn’t have the data on our server and it was impossible to communicate that to F1.

“We are investigating the reason why we had this issue because it never happened in many years. It’s strange.

Mario Isola, Racing Manager, Pirelli Motorsport, talks to the press

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

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“Our system that obviously works with Wi-Fi  and other systems that are provided by other companies.

“We need to understand where the issue came from to avoid that it happens [in the Mexican GP on Sunday] and other occasions.

“To be honest, it was strange because it never happened before. We will investigate.”

Pirelli is predicting Sunday’s race to be a one-stop affair, with most drivers stating on the mediums and then finishing the contest on the hards.

But it has not ruled out some drivers trying a contra-strategy of starting on the hards and running as long as possible in the hope of a late safety car.

If this happens, the soft tyre could be an option to get to the end as it will provide extra grip at the restart and does not degrade as badly as when the cars are running full tanks at the start of the race.

Charles Leclerc says qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix played into his weakness around low-grip circuits, after qualifying over three tenths down on pole-sitter and Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Carlos Sainz.

The Monegasque could only manage fourth on the grid after saving his Ferrari from a Turn 10 snap as he was tackling the high-speed corners, a result he admitted was disappointing, but not entirely surprising.

He explained that this came as he was taking risks with his driving in an effort to match Sainz, and perhaps needed to think about dialling it back in qualifying in similar conditions to ensure he was less compromised by similar mistakes.

However, he countered that his performance in the long-run simulations during practice had buoyed him – although conceded that starting fourth will make his life more difficult.

“I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised. I was struggling and not feeling well since FP2 with the car. That’s the way it is,” Leclerc said.

“In Q3, the lap was coming very nicely until Turn 10 where I lost the car, but I had to take those risks just because I didn’t have the pace. It’s the way it is. I think P4 is not that bad, but of course it could be better.

“[I’m missing] grip and feeling. Sometimes you like the balance; today I don’t, yesterday I didn’t either. I think it’s probably not one of my strengths, the qualifying in very low-grip tracks.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images

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“I tend to push quite a lot in qualifying, in Monza and here I always struggle quite a lot with that. However, it’s the way it is. The only thing that gives me some optimism is that I think I was the fastest guy yesterday in race simulations, which is a good thing, starting from fourth and making my life more difficult.

“I’ve got to think a lot more in order to finish a lap and try to contain a bit more my will to push extremely hard in those qualifyings, because it just doesn’t work out on those on those tracks.

“Today I tried to do that, it was working pretty fine in Q3, however I lost the car in Turn 10, and from that moment, it was very difficult to finish my lap.”

Leclerc explained that for circuits like Mexico, being more circumspect on a qualifying lap might be a benefit to limit the amount of sliding – although reckons this will not be a problem in Sunday’s race.

He added that in retrospect, giving up his seat to Oliver Bearman in FP1 might have hindered him slightly – although conceded that he might not have the same opinion had the weekend been more fortuitous thus far.

“You slide a lot, just because there’s very, very low grip. You’ve just got to be a little bit less on the limit on those tracks and I struggled a bit more to do that.

“However, for the race pace, it doesn’t seem to be an issue. It wasn’t an issue in Monza, I don’t think it will be an issue tomorrow, so on that I’m a lot less worried. But in quali it’s a bit tricky.

“I think [having FP1] always helps, especially on a difficult weekend for me. At the end, it hasn’t hurt my performance so much.

“It’s been a difficult weekend so of course, when it’s like this, you want FP1, but we couldn’t have known before.”

Rally Japan will host a round of the World Rally Championship until at least 2028 after signing a new agreement with WRC Promoter.

The new three-year agreement is set to begin from 2026 and ensures the asphalt rally will continue to be based out of Toyota City, which has hosted the event since 2022. 

The announcement was made at this weekend’s Hyundai N and Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival at Everland Speedway, Yong-in, South Korea.

Japan made its WRC debut in 2004 as a gravel rally held in the Tokachi region before moving to Hokkaido in 2008 and 2010. 

The nation was due to return to the WRC after a 10-year hiatus in 2020, utilising asphalt roads around Toyota City and Nagoya. However, that event and the following in 2021 were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The challenging asphalt roads around Nagoya have hosted the WRC’s final round since 2022 with next month’s edition set to decide both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles. It has proved to be a favourite among the teams and fans.  

Rally Japan will however relinquish its season finale status next year which will be taken by the new Rally Saudi Arabia round that signed a 10-year-deal agreement with WRC that begins in 2025.

Dani Sordo, Candido Carrera, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1, Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1 after the crash

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

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“I am thrilled that the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has decided to continue to hold a Japan round for the 2026-2028 seasons,” said Toyota City mayor Ota.

“Rally Japan has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and overseas for its backdrop of iconic Japanese scenery that includes beautiful mountains, lakes and Shinto shrine gates.

“We hope to use this acclaim to foster a strong rally culture and expand the fan base at home and abroad. We look forward to delivering excitement and thrills to fans through intense competition between the world’s top drivers.”

WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel added: “Toyota City has been incredibly welcoming to the WRC since we returned to Japan. The centralised service park results in an amazing fan experience in the heart of the city.

“We have an excellent partner in Toyota City that shares our values in sustainability and clearly sees the benefit that we bring to the city by extending our agreement there.”

Brodie Kostecki took a second Supercars win in a fortnight with a dominant performance on the streets of Gold Coast.

Kostecki led away from pole position in his Erebus Chevrolet Camaro, holding out Triple Eight’s Will Brown and Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw Andretti United Ford Mustang).

The man who looked out of position was Broc Feeney, who started from fifth on the grid in his Triple Eight Chevrolet and who started the first pitstop cycle when his crew short-filled him so he could get track position.

Most of the leaders followed that strategy and pitted on consecutive laps but the man who did not was Cam Waters, the winner of Saturday’s race. While the leading six cars followed a similar strategy – pitting between laps 24 and 29 and taking on similar amounts of fuel – the Tickford Ford driver alone ran longer and was stationary for almost twice as long.

As a result he came out in ninth place, right behind Team18 Chevrolet of David Reynolds and it was vital he got past promptly.

He did and in the following 20 laps Waters passed four cars. By the time that the second pit cycle played out he resumed in fourth, right behind the T8s and looking threatening.

But any hope he had of getting past the Camaros was compromised by a damaged front splitter and he had to settle for fourth, even though Brown had a steering problem for half the race.

“These guys pushed me once again,” grinned Kostecki after taking Erebus’s first Gold Coast win by 3.47s.

“It really come to life at the end there. A really fast pace, it was great execution by the team and the strategy was great.”

Brown was a satisfied man after extending his points lead.

“It was cool to see them [after leaving the pitlane], I had a steering drama there, left-hand down,” he explained.

“It came on about lap 40, the steering was changing and it was a little bit nerve-wracking through the chicanes, too keep it off the walls.

“I am glad to get through this weekend, heading to Adelaide and we’ll see what happens there.”

Feeney rued his qualifying position: “It was hard work, the story of our last few races is that we haven’t qualified high enough up,” he said.

“We are focused on a couple of wins [in Adelaide]. [I had] a win there a couple of years ago and second last year.”

Fifth place went to the second Tickford Mustang of Thomas Randle, ahead of Erebus’s Jack Le Brocq, who was stung with a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release from his second stop. As a result he dropped to eighth place.

Sixth went to Andre Heimgartner, who not only started from a lowly 17th on the grid but managed to tip-toe through a 10-car pileup at Turn 8 on the opening lap, which put Anton De Pasquale’s Dick Johnson Racing Ford out on the spot, and delayed several other drivers.

Grove Racing Ford’s Richie Stanaway was seventh ahead of Le Brocq, team-mate Matt Payne and Reynolds.

Mostert’s hopes of a top-six result were ruined after his Walkinshaw Andretti United crew under-filled his Ford at his second stop and he had to pit for a third time. By the end of the race he was back in 11th and as a result, fell out of mathematical title contention.

As a result, Brown’s championship lead, which was 171 points after Saturday, is now 180 over Feeney, 2772-2592. Mostert remains in third place on 2463 ahead of Waters (2344), Payne (1863) and James Golding (1841).

The title will go to one of the Triple Eight pilots and will be decided on the streets of Adelaide, over two 250km races, on 16-18 November.

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