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POSSIBLE RACE STRATEGIES:
With the tyres nominated here (a step softer than last week) a one-stop
strategy for the 52-lap race is unadvisable, so a two-stopper is set to be
the strategy. The quickest way depends on track temperature and resulting
wear on the medium tyre, but optimally it would be to do two stints on the
medium tyre of 15 laps each and then a final stint on the hard of 22 laps.
Alternatively, 12 laps on the medium, followed by two stints of 20 laps each
on the hard.
The second-quickest strategy is to start on the hard with two stints of 23
laps each, then finish on the soft.
Very close to that is a two-stopper with 19 laps on the medium, 25 laps on
the hard and eight laps on the soft. The hard and the medium stints can be
swapped here.
FOCUS ON:
* Medium tyre. All but one of the drivers in the top 10 on the grid set
their fastest Q2 time on the medium tyre, and so will start the race on this
compound tomorrow, as per our fastest predicted strategy.
* Max Verstappen. The sole exception was Red Bull driver Max Verstappen who
got through Q2 on the hard tyre and so will start the race from P4 on this
compound.
* Temperatures. Track temperatures were around 40 degrees throughout
qualifying, with similar conditions expected tomorrow. Wind was also a
factor, which is often a complication at Silverstone, affecting aerodynamic
balance. This could be one factor in the cars being slightly slower compared
to last week’s qualifying, despite having a softer tyre choice.
* Quali strategies. Unusually, there were different strategies in Q3 as
well. Having begun Q3 on the soft tyres, both Mercedes drivers set first and
second fastest times using the medium compound.
* Nico Hulkenberg. The stand-in Racing Point driver will start his first
grand prix since Abu Dhabi 2019 from third on the grid, having set his best
time on the soft tyre. |
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MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF F1 AND CAR RACING
“This was a very unusual qualifying session, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen
starting tomorrow on the hard tyres by using them to get through Q2: which
is probably a first in our Formula 1 history. He should be able to benefit
from the extra durability of this compound throughout the first stint when
the cars are heavy with fuel. We also saw the top two fastest times in Q3
set with the medium rather than the soft tyre. These facts alone indicate
how this week’s nomination for the second race of the double-header at
Silverstone has been an interesting one, with the soft tyre providing plenty
of initial speed and then dropping off, while the pattern is the opposite
for the medium. We knew that the soft was never going to be an ideal race
tyre, but the high level of wear and degradation seen on it even in
qualifying underlines how the medium and the hard should be the default
choice for tomorrow’s strategies. We’re expecting a two-stopper, so there
are a number of variables that could play out.” |
