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POSSIBLE RACE STRATEGIES
The 71-lap Styrian Grand Prix has a high lap count owing to the short length
of the circuit, but it should still be a one-stopper: especially with this
weekend’s tyre selection of C2, C3, and C4.
The most favoured one-stop strategy for the bulk of the top 10 is likely to
be P Zero Red soft to P Zero White hard. Otherwise, P Zero Yellow medium to
hard is set to be what Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes
drivers opt for: which is also a possibility for other drivers outside the
top 10 on the grid. Soft to medium (or vice versa) is feasible too, but more
difficult to achieve without careful tyre management.
As usual, there’s also the possibility to do the opposite – beginning on the
harder compound before switching to a softer one. This makes sense for those
starting close to the back and hoping to run a longer first stint to gain
track position. There are a few good overtaking opportunities over the
course of the lap (also considering the three DRS zones) so track position
isn’t quite as essential at the Red Bull Ring as it is at some over
circuits.
Naturally, all of this depends on the weather – with the forecast still
looking variable. Track temperatures though will certainly influence the
tyre life – especially on the soft – and therefore the strategy. |
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FOCUS ON:
* Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who went quickest in both free practice
sessions yesterday, was fastest again in qualifying: one week after claiming
pole in France. Verstappen was the only driver to get into the 1m03s window,
on his first Q3 attempt with the P Zero Red soft C4.
* At the beginning of the Q2 session, both Mercedes drivers, as well as
Verstappen and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi went out on the Yellow medium
tyre. Verstappen and the Mercedes drivers set their best times on the medium
and will start on this compound tomorrow.
* Although the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas qualified runner-up, he has a
three-place grid penalty: promoting his team mate Lewis Hamilton to second,
McLaren’s Lando Norris to third and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to fourth.
* Despite predictions of uncertain weather, conditions were warm and dry
today with 31 degrees ambient and a track temperature peak of 52 degrees in
Q2.
MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF F1 AND CAR RACING
“In qualifying, we experienced the warmest temperatures of the weekend so
far, but some very close margins as well as some variations in strategy,
which means that the top two and Bottas will start on the medium tyre, with
the rest of the top 10 on the soft. This will make for a lively start
tomorrow, and it will be also interesting to see if Red Bull is able to take
advantage of a split strategy with their two cars. There are forecasts of
storms for tomorrow, which could have a decisive impact on the action.
Otherwise, we're expecting a one-stop race, with a few different potential
ways to approach it” |
