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POSSIBLE RACE STRATEGIES
With the abrasive granite surface of Sakhir, and a softer tyre nomination
compared to last year, a two-stop strategy looks set to be the quickest way
to tackle the 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix.
The fastest two-stopper involves one stint on the P Zero Yellow medium for
21 laps, (set to be the opening stint for those in the top 10 of the grid)
plus two stints on the P Zero Red soft tyre of 18 laps each.
The second-quickest two-stopper instead uses the medium for two 21-lap
stints and the soft for 15 laps.
A medium-hard one stopper is slower: this would use the medium for 27 laps
and the hard for 30 laps.
Finally, there’s the slowest two-stopper: two stints on the medium of 18
laps with one stint on the White hard of 21 laps (probably the middle
stint). There’s no real point in going for a three-stopper, as this costs
too much time in the pits.
FOCUS ON:S
* Strategy. All the top 10 on the grid chose to go through Q2 on the P Zero
Yellow medium tyre and therefore start on this compound, which should cope
well with the high-wear characteristics of Sakhir and allow them to run a
longer first stint. As usual, those starting from P11 downwards will get a
free choice of tyres.
* Speed. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set a new track record twice in
qualifying: during Q2 with the P Zero Yellow medium and then again with the
P Zero Red soft in Q3 to seal pole.
* Wear. The rough surface of the Bahrain circuit takes a lot out of the
tyres, meaning that a two-stopper is most likely but drivers will still have
to manage their tyres carefully: particularly the rear softs.
* Temperatures. Both ambient and track temperatures were 27 degrees
centigrade halfway through the session: relatively cool for Bahrain compared
to previous years when the race was held much earlier in the season. |
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MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF F1 AND CAR RACING
“TThe strategy for this race really began in Q2, with nearly all the drivers
coming out on medium tyres, before a red flag stoppage with nine minutes
remaining meant that there was only one run left to make it count. With the
top 10 all starting on the Yellow medium tyre tomorrow, they have some
options as to which compound to run during the second stint. We saw in
qualifying that the pace of the soft and the medium is closely matched,
however the medium is easier to manage in terms of rear overheating, which
is why it was selected in Q2. We also saw that Hamilton was able to break
the track record not once but twice, on two different compounds, which
confirms the ever-increasing speed of the current Formula 1 cars. In Formula
2 earlier, there was another strategic race with plenty of overtaking that
keeps the title battle well and truly alive.” |
