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[What's Burning?]

Also, I'd suspect the best chance of pulling off a 2 stop strategy would be to start on primes, and save your options for the last stint so you run them when the track is most rubbered in - which could get you a few more laps out of the softer tyre.

I suspect we'll see a lot of the P6 through P10 cars using this strategy quite a bit in order to try and steal a podium here and there.

[vaptin]

When Pirelli won the contract to supply the sport's tyres this season in place of Bridgestone, the Italian company was asked to make the rubber less durable in the hope that it would spice up racing.

The early signs are Pirelli have delivered on what was asked of them.

Throughout the four pre-season tests, two themes have come up time and again; how quickly the Pirelli tyres are degrading and the performance difference between the four compounds.

For the first three races in Melbourne, Malaysia and China, the teams can only choose between the soft and hard tyres.

Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery predicts the soft tyres will last between 10-15 laps and the hards up to 25.

One experienced F1 race engineer estimates the difference between those tyres could be worth as much as 1.3 seconds a lap.

Tyre selection and when to change them during a race will be crucial to deciding 2011's winners and losers.

Team strategists believe by getting it right - or wrong - strategy calls could be worth up to six positions.

"The team with the fastest car may not necessarily win the races," warned Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn.

"If you are out on track on the wrong tyre at the wrong time, people will overtake you. There is more potential to get it wrong than there was last year. It's a challenge I'm relishing."

The pit wall strategists and the drivers will have to work together to determine tyre strategy over the weekend.

Drivers who have a good feeling for tyres and how to manage them - the likes of Schumacher, Button and Renault's Nick Heidfeld - will use that skill to their advantage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/20 ... _wint.html,

Interesting, and I hope its true. Certainly throws a spanner into the works, team sand drivers have more chance of saving or losing a race with strategic thinking, rather than just pace in quali. Or Brawn might just make the rest of f1s strategists look like fools. Hopefully Ferrari keep Chris Dyer away from the pitwall, and McLaren don't listen to Lewis's pitstop calls.

[CarBore]

I'm liking it for the same reason I liked the old refueling in races. There will definitely be more than 1 stop and getting it wrong/right will make alot more difference than gain/loss of 1 position. Much less likely to have the same order cross the lines at the end than the start...

[The_Stig_Money]

McLaren don't listen to Lewis's pitstop calls

I dont think that they ever did! LOL

The quicker degradation will give a better chance to drivers who are smoother this year, maybe even 3 stop races!!!!

I hope that the 4 different dry weather tires are actually extremly different

[Hammer278]

Well, Pirellis are weaker, in terms of compound, but, I still think there will be a lot of 3 stops strategies!

3 stopper will standard - which, BTW, is exactly what Pirelli had targeted. They said they wanted to have primes for each circuit that did between 100-150Klms per set. That = 3 stops.

no, that's 2 stops, i.e., 3 sets @ 100km = 300km = race distance.

No, it is 3 stops, you have to run both tyres options and primes at least once.

But yeah, there will be even 4 stops at some circuits according to Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery with an average of 3 stops.

I keep saying 4 stops is really never going to be contemplated or planned. That is because they don't have enough tyres to run a 4 stop strategy. Now, if some idiot driver really does completely ruin his tyres then, I guess they could come in and do a 4th stop, but what will they put on? A set of worn options tyres? That have already given up all their good laps, and are good for 5 laps? Then what, put on a set of intermediates or wets to get home? Any team or driver that does a 4 stopped will have had some incredibly bad luck or will have driven like a moron.

Pirelli predicts two to four stops

Pirelli has predicted between two and four pit stops per race depending on the team, driver and circuit.

Several teams have run race simulations this week at Barcelona with differing results, but typically three stops. Track temperatures have not been as high as they are expected to be at most races this year, with a peak of 30C on Thursday but cooler conditions before and since. Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery said the one day of higher temperatures had provided some useful data but race strategy would still be fairly open.

"It's given us the right signals that when we do get the temperature we'll get closer to the data from our test results, which for us is fundamental," he told reporters in the Barcelona paddock. "We've seen some interesting race simulations, but the teams are obviously playing tactics because we've seen some comments that aren't matching some of the tactics and vice-a-versa. What we've seen is between a two and four stop strategy developing depending on the team."

He said the aim was for the hard compound to last 25 laps in good conditions while the soft is expected to do between 15 and 20 laps. At the first three races Pirelli will run the hard and soft compounds - rather than the medium and super-soft - but Hembery is still expecting the first race in Australia to throw up a few surprises.

"Melbourne is an interesting circuit from a tyre maintenance point of view - it's not an easy circuit that's for sure. We risk having quite high temperatures through to cold and rain, it's a bit like being back in England. So yes, that is going to be a new challenge.

"We would have loved to have had Bahrain because that would have been a good grounding for us in many ways, because Bahrain's quite an aggressive circuit for the compounds. We would have had the temperature and having had the test beforehand that would have provided us with a lot of data and information. So going to Melbourne after we've only been in the cold is quite a challenge, but that's part of the learning experience we are going to gain."

He said Pirelli would fulfil its target of providing multiple pit stops and exciting racing and added that he had not been approached by the teams with any major complaints.

"We do obviously listen to what the sport says, but bearing in mind our main contact with the sport is through the tyre working group which is part of the FOTA group - they haven't actually raised any issues," Hembery said. "As far as we're concerned we are delivering what we were asked to, which is to try and create multiple pit stops - two was what we were aiming for but we're probably looking at averaging three at the moment. But we will verify that as we go forward."

_______________________________________

Obviously Pirelli is expecting many 'idiot' drivers in 2011? I'd put more faith in Pirelli's expectations.

[spankyham]

Well, Pirellis are weaker, in terms of compound, but, I still think there will be a lot of 3 stops strategies!

3 stopper will standard - which, BTW, is exactly what Pirelli had targeted. They said they wanted to have primes for each circuit that did between 100-150Klms per set. That = 3 stops.

no, that's 2 stops, i.e., 3 sets @ 100km = 300km = race distance.

No, it is 3 stops, you have to run both tyres options and primes at least once.

But yeah, there will be even 4 stops at some circuits according to Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery with an average of 3 stops.

I keep saying 4 stops is really never going to be contemplated or planned. That is because they don't have enough tyres to run a 4 stop strategy. Now, if some idiot driver really does completely ruin his tyres then, I guess they could come in and do a 4th stop, but what will they put on? A set of worn options tyres? That have already given up all their good laps, and are good for 5 laps? Then what, put on a set of intermediates or wets to get home? Any team or driver that does a 4 stopped will have had some incredibly bad luck or will have driven like a moron.

Pirelli predicts two to four stops

Pirelli has predicted between two and four pit stops per race depending on the team, driver and circuit.

Several teams have run race simulations this week at Barcelona with differing results, but typically three stops. Track temperatures have not been as high as they are expected to be at most races this year, with a peak of 30C on Thursday but cooler conditions before and since. Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery said the one day of higher temperatures had provided some useful data but race strategy would still be fairly open.

"It's given us the right signals that when we do get the temperature we'll get closer to the data from our test results, which for us is fundamental," he told reporters in the Barcelona paddock. "We've seen some interesting race simulations, but the teams are obviously playing tactics because we've seen some comments that aren't matching some of the tactics and vice-a-versa. What we've seen is between a two and four stop strategy developing depending on the team."

He said the aim was for the hard compound to last 25 laps in good conditions while the soft is expected to do between 15 and 20 laps. At the first three races Pirelli will run the hard and soft compounds - rather than the medium and super-soft - but Hembery is still expecting the first race in Australia to throw up a few surprises.

"Melbourne is an interesting circuit from a tyre maintenance point of view - it's not an easy circuit that's for sure. We risk having quite high temperatures through to cold and rain, it's a bit like being back in England. So yes, that is going to be a new challenge.

"We would have loved to have had Bahrain because that would have been a good grounding for us in many ways, because Bahrain's quite an aggressive circuit for the compounds. We would have had the temperature and having had the test beforehand that would have provided us with a lot of data and information. So going to Melbourne after we've only been in the cold is quite a challenge, but that's part of the learning experience we are going to gain."

He said Pirelli would fulfil its target of providing multiple pit stops and exciting racing and added that he had not been approached by the teams with any major complaints.

"We do obviously listen to what the sport says, but bearing in mind our main contact with the sport is through the tyre working group which is part of the FOTA group - they haven't actually raised any issues," Hembery said. "As far as we're concerned we are delivering what we were asked to, which is to try and create multiple pit stops - two was what we were aiming for but we're probably looking at averaging three at the moment. But we will verify that as we go forward."

_______________________________________

Obviously Pirelli is expecting many 'idiot' drivers in 2011? I'd put more faith in Pirelli's expectations.

I guess we will know after Melb - only 2 weeks to find out.

I stand by my belief that no team will plan 4 stops. Only an idiot would plan to stop and change one set of old tyres for another set of old/used tyres. It will take serious bad luck or stupid driving to have to make four stops.

2 stops may be possible, but only for the better teams, particularly those with the best aero grip.

[texasmr2]

I stand by my belief that no team will plan 4 stops

Any smart team will take into consideration that 4 stops for tires may be needed, hope for the best and expect the worst.

Only an idiot would plan to stop and change one set of old tyres for another set of old/used tyres. It will take serious bad luck or stupid driving to have to make four stops.

Idiot ?? You did not take into consideration the track conditions or the potential weather conditions. In just about every form of motorsports there has been a team/driver that had too make more stops than thought and still won the race or got on the podium.

[spankyham]

I stand by my belief that no team will plan 4 stops

Any smart team will take into consideration that 4 stops for tires may be needed, hope for the best and expect the worst.

Only an idiot would plan to stop and change one set of old tyres for another set of old/used tyres. It will take serious bad luck or stupid driving to have to make four stops.

Idiot ?? You did not take into consideration the track conditions or the potential weather conditions. In just about every form of motorsports there has been a team/driver that had too make more stops than thought and still won the race or got on the podium.

So you'd seriously go into a race with a "plan" to stop and change an old set of tyres for another set of old/used tyres?

I'd like you calling the shots on the Red Bull pit wall this year

[texasmr2]

What I'm trying too explain to you is one must take EVERYTHING into consideration and the 4 stop idea is strictly based upon not knowing how the Pirelli's will holdup in an ACTUAL RACE.

See the difference is your calling it a "plan" which is normally something adhered too yet I'm calling it an "option' which is something that is only considered if necessary, see the difference?

[spankyham]

What I'm trying too explain to you is one must take EVERYTHING into consideration and the 4 stop idea is strictly based upon not knowing how the Pirelli's will holdup in an ACTUAL RACE.

See the difference is your calling it a "plan" which is normally something adhered too yet I'm calling it an "option' which is something that is only considered if necessary, see the difference?

Which is exactly why I said "plan"!

Perhaps you missed it, but I specifically acknowledged that a team might have to make 4 stops - I said "It will take serious bad luck or stupid driving to have to make four stops."

Yes - teams should be prepared for bad luck and stupid driving - but you don't "plan" for your driver to stick the nose of his car into the back wheel of the car in front, but you are ready to change the front wing when he does.

[texasmr2]

You know more than I do Mr.Team Principle so carry on.

[Hammer278]

FYI spanky, Ferrari and Michael did a 4 stop strategy in Magny Cours 2004...and won the race.

And YES, it was planned as a possibility to switch to this strategy before the lights went out. What an idiot drive huh?

Its funny you're undermining Pirellis opinion on how strategy will play out this year. This is the MD, the guy in charge for a multi billion dollar company...maybe his opinion counts for something.

[Jensonb]

FYI spanky, Ferrari and Michael did a 4 stop strategy in Magny Cours 2004...and won the race.

Wasn't that fourth stop for fuel and not tyres? And besides which, didn't they have more tyres available on race day back then?

[Hammer278]

Maybe not, but I think its because they didn't need to.

I just dont see why 4 stops would be 'ridiculous' if 3 is seen as the 'average'?

We have had races with just 1 stop, and also 3 stops in the same season with Bridgestones. With Pirellis, they are not doubting the high possibility of seeing 4 stops in a few races this year. I dont see how we're more qualified to disagree with these tyre makers???

And the scenarios for this to happen are many. During cold temperatures at the start of a race, you could start with super softs, and come in after 7 or 8 laps....and then reuse them at the end of the race which might last another 7-8 laps while others might be on splitting tyres and running seconds slower per lap. This is just ONE scenario....

[scotty]

I could possibly see a driver starting nearer the back (ie, someone who hasn't participated in all the quali sessions) setting out to do a 4 stopper given the drop off rates, should a) the track conditions (ie temps and the surface itself) make it feasible and b) they have enough sets of 'new' tyres left. Consider the ~20s penalty for an extra stop compared to how much time they'd lose doing more laps on degraded tyres and i think there's some logic to be found in such a strategy - a key point to add is that this is only really possible this year due to what i think will be a much lower importance of track position. I must add that i think this won't be a common strategy to use, 2 and 3 stoppers will be.


Can someone just clarify the rules on how many tyres are available at various points during the weekend? As far as i can remember they start with 11 sets of tyres, but have to give back 3 sets after... second (?) practice, but i'm fairly sure that is incorrect.

edit - nm, found out. They essentially can have up to 7 sets of brand new tyres for qualifying and the race. Which raises another point! It's going to reward those drivers who can nail one lap qualifiers... and severly disadvantage those that can't.