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Pitstop strategies and possible outcomes with tyres


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#1 SeanValen

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:47

I need some brushing up with the rules, correct me if I'm wrong, so no refueling next year, so only tyre changes.
Who is the tyre supplier? Bridgestone have left?

Do we know what type of tyres will be available to the teams? Because I have a feeling, we'll see drivers go for harder compounds, stay out longer vs drivers on softs, more tyre changes, attack in quali, alot of variations will occur, track permitting of cource.


What sort of races are you people expecting in terms of strategies with tyres.

This of cource will be especially interesting now that Brawn and Schumacher are working again together, they spent alot of time on fuel strategies, and now it maybe about how Schumacher and he attack the weekend right from qualifying.

Edited by SeanValen, 30 December 2009 - 18:52.


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#2 Victor_RO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:49

Who is the tyre supplier? Bridgestone have left?


Bridgestone still supply tires next year. F1 will need a new tire supplier after 2010.

#3 DEVO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:49

Also, is the rule for the drivers to use both soft and hard compounds still in place?

#4 domhnall

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:52

as it stands the two compound rule remains in place foe 2010.

#5 Victor_RO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:52

^ Yes, as far as I know, so the drivers will still have to make a pitstop.

#6 DEVO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:52

^ Yes, as far as I know, so the drivers will still have to make a pitstop.


thanks,

i wish that rule went away.

Edited by DEVO, 30 December 2009 - 18:53.


#7 Suren

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:53

..and the tires that the drivers qualify on will be the ones they use to start the race, correct?

#8 domhnall

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:54

..and the tires that the drivers qualify on will be the ones they use to start the race, correct?


No i don't think so, free choice i believe

Edited by domhnall, 30 December 2009 - 18:54.


#9 Victor_RO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 18:55

..and the tires that the drivers qualify on will be the ones they use to start the race, correct?


That rule was only in action in 2005 if I recall correctly.

#10 DEVO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 19:07

That rule was only in action in 2005 if I recall correctly.


really? I thought that rule was still in place last year. at least for the top 10.

#11 Victor_RO

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 19:08

really? I thought that rule was still in place last year. at least for the top 10.


Just fuel, not tires. You could often see drivers at the front of the grid starting on tires that looked pretty brand spankin' new. And on different compounds from the ones they qualified on.

#12 Nathan

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 19:13

So so far the strategy is fast tires at the beginning or the end?

#13 highdownforce

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 19:19

So so far the strategy is fast tires at the beginning or the end?

Harder tires at the beginning, the cars will be heavy at that time, so there will be more wear.

#14 noikeee

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 20:12

I'm expecting the race dynamics to be quite similar as GP2. GP2 goes like this: mandatory minimum 1-stop (which means everyone is in a 1-stop strategy), most people try pitting earlier than halfway through the race to be safe over a safety car. Some odd random guys try pitting either very early (first 10 laps) or after 50% race distance to try avoiding traffic, sometimes this works out, sometimes it doesn't. The teams #2 drivers are more prone to be told to do this sort of gambles (so we will still see drivers complaining about poor treatment!). Passing in the pits happens all the time, but unlike in pre-2010 F1, it's not always the guy that pits later that is at an advantage - sometimes it's the guy who pits later, sometimes it's the guy who pits earlier, it depends on who does the fastest laps when out of sequence. People who have the new tyres are usually quicker than the ones with old tyres, but might be slower for the first 1 or 2 laps as the tyres warm up.

Now, there's two factors that might make things a little different in F1:

1. The races are longer, therefore there will be more weight at the beginning, which means even more tyre wear at the beginning; and it means there will be a huge difference in laptimes from the beginning to the end of the races, which also might result in cars changing their handling throughout a race and becoming quicker/slower more dramatically.

2. The rule that forces people to use two different tyre compounds during the race will still be in use. This mandates a single pitstop just like GP2, but has a deeper effect than that. In theory the best strategy is to pit early to avoid a safety car. So, given that you will only do a few laps in the first stint, you should start with the softer tyre and save the harder for the longer stint. However, like I said above, the car will wear a lot more in the beginning of the race, so you'd want to start with the harder tyre. I'm not sure how the teams will handle this dillema... maybe do the opposite of GP2, forgetting about the chance of safety cars, and switching from hards to softs only at the very end?

A couple more things to notice:

- Strategies will be much more dynamic as up until now. Why? Because they will be decided during the race. In refuelling racing, the best strategy is always to pit as you're about to run out of fuel. It can then be adjusted a little during the race, in some cases even switched from 3-stoppers to 2-stoppers, etc. But the window for change is small. Now, people will do their single stop at any moment as they see fit, without a necessarily fixed plan. Imagine this scenario: you start a race on softs planning to pit on lap 10. By lap 5 several other drivers go for their stops and switch all from softs to hards. However it backfires massively and from laps 6 to 9 they are super slow on the hards, while you on softs still keep on going very quickly. In fact the tyre, surprisingly, holds up and holds up and holds up and you only pit by lap 40. This is an unlikely scenario, but it could happen. On current rules you'd never change a strategy by a whole 30 laps!

- I think we're not going to see many 2-stoppers, but someone might gamble with it sometimes if they're desperate. It doesn't seem a very good idea, because you're always forced to do a stint on hards. Might be viable on tracks with severe tyre wear where even the hards have trouble keeping up.

- Drivers that haven't pitted yet after a safety car are really going to be ****ed. This is already the case but I think it'll be even more so now, as there's only going to be 1 stop for everyone, and you can't move up after the second round of stops anymore.

- People are talking about how Schumacher and Barrichello are going to be at an advantage as they raced in this sort of conditions before 1994. I don't think that's the case - I think the GP2 generation will be at an advantage! As they have raced in similar conditions to these much more recently. A good driver is a good driver though, and I doubt we'll see major changes in the pecking order.

- I expect racing to be every bit as processional as until now, or worse. Yes this is going to be like GP2, but keep in mind GP2 has been a lot more boring since 2008 when they introduced the new, more aero-sensitive car. Now consider the F1 cars seem to be even more aero-sensitive...

Woah, this was a long post. I obviously think this is an interesting subject!

#15 highdownforce

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 20:31

[...] I obviously think this is an interesting subject!

And it is. It's possible what we'll be talking about the whole year, and you've covered most scenarios.
Something of notice is that we may see more safety car periods early on races, because of the heavy cars and some inexperienced drivers.
There's also weather, track temperature (twilight races) and fuel consumption in the equation. In theory, less fuel on board equal less tire wear.

#16 DOF_power

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 20:49

After a mistake-crashertainment period, everyone will adjust properly and it will be the same Formula 1 witch we all know and are bored to death of.
The ban TC was supposed to split the Red Sea and all that but it did nothing.

I witnessed/watched the initial no-refueling era, the third refueling era, the ban of the slicks, the return of the slicks, the TC 1.0, ban 1.0 , TC 2.0, ban 2.0, etc. and nothing ever changed for the better, it was the same or worse.
Never has that quality of racing really improved as promissed, and the last truly interesting seasons that I can think off were 1982 and maybe 1983.

Edited by DOF_power, 30 December 2009 - 20:50.


#17 alg7_munif

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 21:18

Thanks paranoik0 :up:

#18 Nathan

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 21:29

Harder tires at the beginning, the cars will be heavy at that time, so there will be more wear.

Posted Image :blush:

#19 Nathan

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 21:30

the last truly interesting seasons that I can think off were 1982 and maybe 1983.

What made it different than today?

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#20 KiloWatt

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Posted 30 December 2009 - 22:14

Harder tires at the beginning, the cars will be heavy at that time, so there will be more wear.


I tend to disagree. A lighter car will slide about more and thus increase tire wear. Therefore, a heavier car will in fact be kinder to its tires, as counter intuitive as it may seem. Just think about it...

#21 pingu666

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 02:32

i think we may well see the same old 2 stop tbh, its all depenent on how well the tyres hang onto there performance. and the heavier cars put more pressure on the tyres, and the weight goes more sideways rather than down

#22 KiloWatt

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 05:28

i think we may well see the same old 2 stop tbh, its all depenent on how well the tyres hang onto there performance. and the heavier cars put more pressure on the tyres, and the weight goes more sideways rather than down



I dont understand what you mean?

#23 Mauseri

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 08:52

^ Yes, as far as I know, so the drivers will still have to make a pitstop.

I don't mind about a compulsory pit stop, but this two compound rule is horrible.

#24 Victor_RO

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 09:02

I don't mind about a compulsory pit stop, but this two compound rule is horrible.


It's probably because the performance gap between compounds is sometimes extremely narrow, and the degradation gap varies extremely wildly (at one race they can stand up equally well, and at another race (see Melbourne) one compound may be shot after 5 laps).

#25 Clatter

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 09:35

And it is. It's possible what we'll be talking about the whole year, and you've covered most scenarios.
Something of notice is that we may see more safety car periods early on races, because of the heavy cars and some inexperienced drivers.
There's also weather, track temperature (twilight races) and fuel consumption in the equation. In theory, less fuel on board equal less tire wear.


I don't see any reason why there should be more safety cars. We had the same dire warnings that front wings would be flying off all over the place because of their increased size, and that didn't happen either. Some of the new drivers may lack F1 experience, but none of them are inexperienced.

#26 undersquare

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 09:49

Tyre warmers are still allowed aren't they? So the first laps after a pitstop could be around 2 sec faster, sometimes. A lot's going to depend on what Bridgestone bring. Hope it's nothing too everlasting.

#27 Clatter

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 09:51

Tyre warmers are still allowed aren't they? So the first laps after a pitstop could be around 2 sec faster, sometimes. A lot's going to depend on what Bridgestone bring. Hope it's nothing too everlasting.


Yeah, still allowed. :rolleyes: They bottled out of that one again.

#28 HP

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 10:27

What made it different than today?

Aero, etc wasn't so understood like today. Setup were not as precise as they are these days. Pit to driver instructions, absent.

#29 Nathan

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 15:29

How many sets of tires can a car use throughout the weekend. Do you think we will see many two stop strategies?

#30 Victor_RO

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 15:31

How many sets of tires can a car use throughout the weekend. Do you think we will see many two stop strategies?


14 sets of slicks, 7 of each compound. 5 (I think) are reserved for Friday, the rest can be split for Saturday-Sunday, but I think they're limited in the amount of tires they can use in Saturday practice. So if they're thinking about scrubbing tires, qualifying is probably the only time they can do that.

#31 J2NH

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 15:39

First couple of races will be interesting but by the third race the teams should have it figured out and I would expect most will move in lockstep. It may very well be that two stopping becomes the standard, it all depends on how full tanks degrades the tires in the first stint.

#32 Sisplatin

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 15:40

I tend to disagree. A lighter car will slide about more and thus increase tire wear. Therefore, a heavier car will in fact be kinder to its tires, as counter intuitive as it may seem. Just think about it...

No, a "Heavier" car is actually "Heavier" ....meaning more weight
so more weight on tyres and more wear of tyres compared to a lighter car

#33 Hairpin

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 16:18

as it stands the two compound rule remains in place foe 2010.

I'm afraid you are right but I hope you are wrong. It would kill all what is interesting with the fuel ban. There should be a tyre available that lasts the whole race, if it is managed correctly.

#34 Hairpin

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Posted 31 December 2009 - 16:22

I tend to disagree. A lighter car will slide about more and thus increase tire wear. Therefore, a heavier car will in fact be kinder to its tires, as counter intuitive as it may seem. Just think about it...

No, you are wrong there, very wrong. Weight does increase grip, but it requires more than it gives.

#35 alfa1

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 07:11

I tend to disagree. A lighter car will slide about more and thus increase tire wear. Therefore, a heavier car will in fact be kinder to its tires, as counter intuitive as it may seem. Just think about it...



It wasnt that way in the pre-refuelling days.
Back then, heavier car tyre wear made the optimal one stop at about one third distance into the race.
Shouldnt be any different now, except that we also have two tyre types... but that isnt what you're referring to.





#36 Tenmantaylor

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 12:38

Removing the mandatory pitstop and use of both compounds rule would make the racing better IMO. Seeing someone hold on at the end for a win without a pitstop on old tyres would be great!

#37 Tenmantaylor

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 12:46

I tend to disagree. A lighter car will slide about more and thus increase tire wear. Therefore, a heavier car will in fact be kinder to its tires, as counter intuitive as it may seem. Just think about it...


Why dont all F1 teams make 4 ton cars? The heavier the car the more stress is put through the tyre surface, walls, everything. When cornering a sideways load is transferred through the tyres as they grips the road and rim respectively. This load is dependant on speed, mass and downforce generated. Adding fuel increases mass. Higher mass will only increase tyre wear. Unless of course the driver slows down to accommodate the extra mass which in F1 is not desirable last I heard.

#38 bankoq

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 13:13

What about engines parity? Any news?

#39 SeanValen

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 13:20

I'm expecting the race dynamics to be quite similar as GP2. GP2 goes like this: mandatory minimum 1-stop (which means everyone is in a 1-stop strategy), most people try pitting earlier than halfway through the race to be safe over a safety car. Some odd random guys try pitting either very early (first 10 laps) or after 50% race distance to try avoiding traffic, sometimes this works out, sometimes it doesn't. The teams #2 drivers are more prone to be told to do this sort of gambles (so we will still see drivers complaining about poor treatment!). Passing in the pits happens all the time, but unlike in pre-2010 F1, it's not always the guy that pits later that is at an advantage - sometimes it's the guy who pits later, sometimes it's the guy who pits earlier, it depends on who does the fastest laps when out of sequence. People who have the new tyres are usually quicker than the ones with old tyres, but might be slower for the first 1 or 2 laps as the tyres warm up.

Now, there's two factors that might make things a little different in F1:

1. The races are longer, therefore there will be more weight at the beginning, which means even more tyre wear at the beginning; and it means there will be a huge difference in laptimes from the beginning to the end of the races, which also might result in cars changing their handling throughout a race and becoming quicker/slower more dramatically.

2. The rule that forces people to use two different tyre compounds during the race will still be in use. This mandates a single pitstop just like GP2, but has a deeper effect than that. In theory the best strategy is to pit early to avoid a safety car. So, given that you will only do a few laps in the first stint, you should start with the softer tyre and save the harder for the longer stint. However, like I said above, the car will wear a lot more in the beginning of the race, so you'd want to start with the harder tyre. I'm not sure how the teams will handle this dillema... maybe do the opposite of GP2, forgetting about the chance of safety cars, and switching from hards to softs only at the very end?

A couple more things to notice:

- Strategies will be much more dynamic as up until now. Why? Because they will be decided during the race. In refuelling racing, the best strategy is always to pit as you're about to run out of fuel. It can then be adjusted a little during the race, in some cases even switched from 3-stoppers to 2-stoppers, etc. But the window for change is small. Now, people will do their single stop at any moment as they see fit, without a necessarily fixed plan. Imagine this scenario: you start a race on softs planning to pit on lap 10. By lap 5 several other drivers go for their stops and switch all from softs to hards. However it backfires massively and from laps 6 to 9 they are super slow on the hards, while you on softs still keep on going very quickly. In fact the tyre, surprisingly, holds up and holds up and holds up and you only pit by lap 40. This is an unlikely scenario, but it could happen. On current rules you'd never change a strategy by a whole 30 laps!

- I think we're not going to see many 2-stoppers, but someone might gamble with it sometimes if they're desperate. It doesn't seem a very good idea, because you're always forced to do a stint on hards. Might be viable on tracks with severe tyre wear where even the hards have trouble keeping up.

- Drivers that haven't pitted yet after a safety car are really going to be ****ed. This is already the case but I think it'll be even more so now, as there's only going to be 1 stop for everyone, and you can't move up after the second round of stops anymore.

- People are talking about how Schumacher and Barrichello are going to be at an advantage as they raced in this sort of conditions before 1994. I don't think that's the case - I think the GP2 generation will be at an advantage! As they have raced in similar conditions to these much more recently. A good driver is a good driver though, and I doubt we'll see major changes in the pecking order.

- I expect racing to be every bit as processional as until now, or worse. Yes this is going to be like GP2, but keep in mind GP2 has been a lot more boring since 2008 when they introduced the new, more aero-sensitive car. Now consider the F1 cars seem to be even more aero-sensitive...

Woah, this was a long post. I obviously think this is an interesting subject!




:up:



You've covered some of if not most of could likely happened, I enjoyed reading your post. You maybe right in not seeing alot of 2 stoppers, but then I remember the ferrari f-2001, it didn't have a large fuel tank compared to the mclaren, it wasn't as good in the races as it's qualifing performance might of indicted, where the mclaren took advantage in some races and staying out longer. It'll be interesting whether teams make cars for heavy fuel loads, or make one which is streamlined for quali performance and a ligher first stop the rivals. Qualifying is important these days, we've seen fast race cars lose so much time when in traffic, I wonder if teams will do something explore both 2 stopper type cars to one 1 stopper, it could mean a stagging difference of opening up a huge lead in the race. :smoking:


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#40 BillBald

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 14:21

Sorry to get all scientific, but some of the posters here are confusing weight with mass.

The extra fuel at the start will make almost no difference to the downwards pressure on the tyres, because that is mainly provided by the aero.

It will however greatly increase the mass of the car, which brings greater inertia. The tyres will have to do more work to accelerate the car, slow it down and change direction. That is why there will be greater tyre wear, but slower lap times.

It's very hard to predict what the best strategy will be. It partly depends on how close the field is, and what strategies other teams might run.

Imagine a car which is running at the head of the field. They want to make a tyre stop, but if they do, they will immediately lose 10 positions, because the field is running close together. They will have more pace with the new tyres, but they cannot use it unless they can do a lot of overtaking (hardly possible with current cars).
That will not be a disaster if those 10 cars then also pit within a few laps. But if they don't, our hero is stuck in the midfield.

An alternative would be to keep running until all the other leading cars have stopped, then quite possibly pit without losing the lead.

My guess is that most will want to wait to see what is happening. If a chief rival has pitted and is flying with no traffic, you wouldn't want to delay.

Of course, safety cars will mess up this strategy. If you're the only guy who hasn't pitted, you will be in the lead but on old tyres, and with the pack right behind you.
Actually, scrub that last sentence. If 2009 safety car rules apply, you can pit immediately, so no problem.

Edited by BillBald, 01 January 2010 - 14:33.


#41 noikeee

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 14:25

:up:



You've covered some of if not most of could likely happened, I enjoyed reading your post. You maybe right in not seeing alot of 2 stoppers, but then I remember the ferrari f-2001, it didn't have a large fuel tank compared to the mclaren, it wasn't as good in the races as it's qualifing performance might of indicted, where the mclaren took advantage in some races and staying out longer. It'll be interesting whether teams make cars for heavy fuel loads, or make one which is streamlined for quali performance and a ligher first stop the rivals. Qualifying is important these days, we've seen fast race cars lose so much time when in traffic, I wonder if teams will do something explore both 2 stopper type cars to one 1 stopper, it could mean a stagging difference of opening up a huge lead in the race. :smoking:


Yeah the more I think about it, the more I think 2-stoppers might be viable, but I believe they'll be the alternative to the standart 1-stopper which will be the mainly used strategy. Much like 2-stoppers were the main strategy in refuelling racing, with 1-stop and 3-stops as the alternatives. It'll depend a lot on the tyres and how the cars use them.

Now obviously you'd only want to do a 2-stopper if you qualified well and are running at the top of the field, or with a big gap of clear air ahead...

#42 BillBald

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 14:43

Now obviously you'd only want to do a 2-stopper if you qualified well and are running at the top of the field, or with a big gap of clear air ahead...


I think the more important question will be if you have a big gap behind you, or in other words, how many places will you lose by stopping?

If you lose too many places, you may never get them back.

If 2 or 3 cars pull well clear of the pack, then they have a free choice of strategy. But if there are a dozen cars within say 20 secs of the leader, the most important consideration will be to avoid getting stuck in the midfield.

Edited by BillBald, 01 January 2010 - 14:44.


#43 Demo.

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 14:48

1. The races are longer, therefore there will be more weight at the beginning, which means even more tyre wear at the beginning; and it means there will be a huge difference in laptimes from the beginning to the end of the races, which also might result in cars changing their handling throughout a race and becoming quicker/slower more dramatically.

2. The rule that forces people to use two different tyre compounds during the race will still be in use. This mandates a single pitstop just like GP2, but has a deeper effect than that. In theory the best strategy is to pit early to avoid a safety car. So, given that you will only do a few laps in the first stint, you should start with the softer tyre and save the harder for the longer stint. However, like I said above, the car will wear a lot more in the beginning of the race, so you'd want to start with the harder tyre. I'm not sure how the teams will handle this dillema... maybe do the opposite of GP2, forgetting about the chance of safety cars, and switching from hards to softs only at the very end?



you seam to ignore the rubbering in of the track and weight factors.
The track weather permitting always tends to favor the soft compound towards the end of the race allowing the softer tyres to work better for longer and also the cars being lighter will be kinder on the rubber once again extending their operating window.
The only way your advantage of pitting early works is if there is a safety car and it is in the first third of the race.
If there is no safety car or if it is later than 1/2 way the teams could well find that they used the faster tyre for far less of the race than those who risked the safety car.
But then again i would expect the teams to decide on a track by track basis the risks of a safety car and therefore use both strategies throughout the year.
And thats without even trying to factor in such things which are unknown right now like how the cars handle the new tyres in their 2010 configuration, or such things as grid positions which will all have a bearing on what way the teams decide to go.

#44 Hippo

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 15:14

I think it will vastly depend on how the race progresses. Generally you will want to stop earlier than the guy you're trying to beat. This is, because on equal weight you'll be faster with fresh tires. Of course you have to be careful as to where you will be after the stop.

If Bridgestone manages to build a tire that perfectly balances 1-stop and 2-stop strategies it gets tricky. Then you wont know if the other guy is gonna stop twice or not. In this case you don't want to stop too early, because that would give him the opportunity to start saving tires earlier. That would be entertaining to watch.

#45 rodfarva

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 15:40

last i checked you could pit whenever you want in the event of a safety car. so i don't see how a safety car disadvantages those who havent stopped.

#46 BillBald

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Posted 01 January 2010 - 16:35

last i checked you could pit whenever you want in the event of a safety car. so i don't see how a safety car disadvantages those who havent stopped.


It doesn't, unless you've just passed the pit entrance when the safety car is called, in which case you have to do a slow lap before you can pit. And even then the disadvantage is minimal. As we saw in Suzuka with Rosberg, the safety car can give an advantage to a car which goes into the pits - although Rosberg perhaps got a bigger advantage than he should have.



#47 alfa1

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Posted 05 January 2010 - 08:27

An alternative would be to keep running until all the other leading cars have stopped, then quite possibly pit without losing the lead.
My guess is that most will want to wait to see what is happening. If a chief rival has pitted and is flying with no traffic, you wouldn't want to delay.



In the pre-refuelling days, the optimum strategy was to pit just about two laps before your opponent does.
This way, you get the immediate benefit of fresh tyres *with no fuel disadvantage* and those few extra quick laps gives you track position.
We tended to see the opposition react immediately, and pit the next lap in order to try to counter this.

The other strategy was to stay out and do one entire less pitstop for the whole race.


#48 Ferrim

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Posted 06 January 2010 - 15:41

In the pre-refuelling days, the optimum strategy was to pit just about two laps before your opponent does.
This way, you get the immediate benefit of fresh tyres *with no fuel disadvantage* and those few extra quick laps gives you track position.
We tended to see the opposition react immediately, and pit the next lap in order to try to counter this.

The other strategy was to stay out and do one entire less pitstop for the whole race.


I was watching the 1994 Brazilian GP (ie., the first race that refuelling was permitted again) a few months ago. It was the Eurosport feed, with Ben Edwards and John Watson, and they were still stuck in that way of thinking, as you'd expect after 10 years of no refuelling. Schumacher was leading the race after the first round of stops, and Senna pitted for the second time before him. At that point, they started to talk about how the Benetton team would have to react quickly to Senna's stop, by pitting in the following lap in order to counter it. It felt odd to me, until I thought a bit and understood that they were accostumed to non-refuelling racing, where effectively you will be quicker with new tyres after a stop. :)

#49 DOF_power

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Posted 06 January 2010 - 15:52

What made it different than today?




On track overtaking + multiple winners + championship to the wire.

#50 DEVO

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Posted 06 January 2010 - 16:52

Just fuel, not tires. You could often see drivers at the front of the grid starting on tires that looked pretty brand spankin' new. And on different compounds from the ones they qualified on.

i totally missed that. i'll have to watch for that on Speed, they are rebroadcasting last season.