Sebastian Vettel expects drivers will have to make at least three stops for tyres in 2011 – and possible as many as four.
Vettel said: “The tyres are very different to last year. But, then again, it’s the same for everybody.
“I think we will see that racing will change, one stop is impossible, also two stops so it will be at least three or four stop races.
“I think it will make it very interesting, the question is if it is a good thing for us or a bad thing. I think it’s hard to say now because obviously we need to get going first and see how the races unfold.”
Last month Pirelli motorsport directory Paul Hembery said he doubted teams would need to make as many as four pit stops in a typical race: "Not from the data we’ve seen, no. I’d question why they would be doing four.”
Vettel also admitted he is concerned the Drag Reduction System might make racing “artificial”:
“The rear wing is a bit of a different story because you can use it in the race only for attacking, not for defending, I just hope it doesn’t make overtaking too easy, because then it would make the racing artificial.”
He added: “KERS, obviously, is the same for everybody. So you’ve got KERS in your car but obviously the other guy’s got KERS as well so it doesn’t really make a big difference at the end of the day. Obviously you can use it both for attack and defence.”
Despite promising signs from Red Bull in testing Vettel was cautious about his chances of retaining his title in 2011:
“We seem to have a good car but it’s still far too early to tell. We have to wait and see.”
See more of what Vettel had to say in this video:
2011 F1 season
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- How well do you remember the 2011 F1 season? Take the F1 Fanatic quiz
- The 2011 F1 season: The complete F1 Fanatic review
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- Barrichello tipped to stay at Williams
- 2011 F1 statistics part 3: Stats and facts highlights
- 2011 F1 statistics part two: Vettel’s domination
- 2011 F1 statistics part one: car performance
- New 2011 rules produced best racing of last four years
- What F1 Fanatics really thought of the 2011 season
Browse all 2011 F1 season articles
Image © Pirelli
Ben N
2nd March 2011, 16:12
This would be ideal! With massively varying strategies.
Obviously those on 3/4 stoppers will be going much faster on track than those on 2/3 stops. It will be a supreme battle between those able to keep their tyres fresh longer and those able to get the best out of them quickest.
So excited for this season!
MaroonJack (@maroonjack)
3rd March 2011, 6:09
I think it’s too much to be honest. Two stops on average would be ideal in my opinion, with some teams trying to pull one stop strategy, and some going for 3 stops. Four means that they struggle with the tyres, and the result in this scenario are a bit random.
MaroonJack (@maroonjack)
3rd March 2011, 6:11
* results
Where is the “edit” button when you need it?
karan01 (@karan01)
3rd March 2011, 7:03
I hope the soft tyres are actually much much faster than the hard tyre. Last season it was not a suprise to see people not dropping pace when they switch to the hard tyre.
It is going to be fun to watch hehe
Catalina ;)
2nd March 2011, 16:16
the idea was just leaving the pitstops out of the race when they banned refuelling. butnow we’re coming back a bit.
matt90
2nd March 2011, 20:49
No, banning refuelling means that even during tire stops, everybody has (roughly) the same time in the pits, so although there’s a strategy element the racing is closer. It wasn’t meant to remove or even reduce pitstops I believe.
John H
2nd March 2011, 21:25
matt is correct. Problem was you knew when everyone was going to stop, especially when they published the weights at the end of qualifying.
Things are pretty good now I think as the mandatory stop will become irrelevant.
Joey-Poey (@joey-poey)
3rd March 2011, 0:02
yes, but with everyone being forced to use the same two types of tires, it’s still predictable. The teams can tell how long they can go on them because of practice. Moreover, they’ll find an ideal strategy since everyone has to run the same ones. I still insist more options will result in more variety.
Electrolite
2nd March 2011, 16:16
This season will definitely reveal who the fabled ‘tyre davers’ really are. So hypothetically speaking, the likes of Alonso, Heidfeld or Button may do 3 stoppers, where as Hamilton or Vettel might hammer it with 4 stoppers. If so, this could result in some pretty gripping races. And timing in qualifying is going to be more crucial for sure.
I’m not saying certain drivers for definite save tyres or that I condone one style or the other, by the way.
Electrolite
2nd March 2011, 16:23
tyre savers* my apologies.
RaulZ
3rd March 2011, 12:32
I think Alonso is good saving tyres driving in a conservative way, but if he have to be very fast or run just behind another car, the waste of tyres is similiar to other drivers.
Chris Goldsmith
2nd March 2011, 16:29
Or, to look at it another way, Vettel Says New RB7 Terrible on Tyres…
VXR
2nd March 2011, 16:35
But they are all “terrible” on the Pirelli tyres in comparison to what they were used to. LOL
The Red Bull car probably uses the Pirelli tyre better than any other car, but that doesn’t mean to say that Vettel likes them.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 17:18
I think this is a bit over the top, the higher temperatures will make for 2-3 stops instead of what we see now with the cold weather.
BBT
2nd March 2011, 19:09
Hope so otherwise it could become a joke.
PS different strats mean people not racing each other on the track
SennaNmbr1 (@)
2nd March 2011, 21:50
Unless a “Hamilton” exits the pits behind a “Button” and has to pass him to make his tyre strategy pay off. And with fresh tyres and a drag-free rear wing I imagine that would be quite easy.
VXR
2nd March 2011, 16:32
I think that tyre usage will depend more on what the car is capable of rather than the driver, for the most part. And then the driver can try to make them last a bit longer if he can, but he won’t be able to make a huge difference.
Whatever the strategies are, it won’t be until very late on in the races that we know exactly who will finish where.
DaveW
2nd March 2011, 17:32
Agree. The relative ability of drivers to be “easy” on tires is highly overhyped. These guys are all at the top and they know what to do to draw a certain performance curve with the tires over a certain distance. The real and more important difference among drivers appears to be the opposite—some cannot heat the tires fast enough or equally enough for qualifying or in wet/damp conditions. This failing has been an achilles heel for otherwise excellent drivers like Button, Schumacher, and Massa.
I’m not so sure I’m happy about a frenzy of pit stops. It may create lots of cliffhangers, but it may be impossible to know what is actually happening in the race until 80% through. It’s also going to create crazy safety-car scenarios.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
2nd March 2011, 17:53
GOOD!
BBT
2nd March 2011, 19:12
why don’t we put all the cars in a giant lotto machine and pick the winner that way if its good?
IceMan
3rd March 2011, 7:30
This is one cool idea. unpredictable winner. This will be a exciting gambling.
Nick F
2nd March 2011, 19:51
I agree that the car makes the difference and not always the driver. Think back to Korea last year and Button’s performance in the race. He was having some kind of disastrous setup problem and he just couldn’t do anything with the car. He ruined his tyres and did nothing in the race. People say though that he is supposed to be some kind of tyre master. I accept that he is kinder on his tyres, but the Korea race proves that the driver can only do so much.
VXR
3rd March 2011, 2:19
If you can’t get heat into the tyres (as was the case with Button) they will wear faster than normal because instead of gripping, they slide.
Slim
2nd March 2011, 16:34
I think this is rather paradoxical, considering the FIA wants to have a complete “Green” design overhaul of the cars for the 2013 season. What’s the point of saving fuel with a KERS, when the same amount of petrol will going in to the manufacturing of tires?
VXR
2nd March 2011, 16:36
Do you know how much it costs to run a wind tunnel?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
2nd March 2011, 16:38
They aren’t going to be bringing any more tyres to the races than they were last year – and they’re probably not going to be using many more new sets than they were last year either.
Ral (@)
2nd March 2011, 17:14
In which case presumably fuel use will go up as the tyres degrades. That’s a bonus imho though, as it will reduce the short-fueling that happened last year. Hopefully.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 17:20
I think some of the drivers may find it hard to get them a set of unworn softs/supersofts to do Q3, let alone the race. If the difference is about a second from softer to harder compound they will probably need them to get through Q2 and some will as early as Q1.
That might give interesting variables for tyre strategy as well.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
2nd March 2011, 17:55
Remember in 2009 when Button would go out on a set of hards because he knew his Brawn would get him to Q3? And when Kimi tried to save a set and got knocked out of Q1 instead. Interesting times indeed.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 18:39
Could get pretty exiting.
Nick F
2nd March 2011, 19:57
I worry about them not doing much running in the practice sessions. I actually get up to see those. It’s not going to be much fun if they can only do 10 laps with the allocated set and then all give up. It would be crazy for them to run with any of their remaining tyres if they are going to need them all for qualifying and the race.
AD (@ad)
2nd March 2011, 23:29
Well, I think some tyres on Friday and Saturday are the ‘use it or lose it’ variety. I agree that if it turns out drivers want to limit running on Friday or Saturday to save tyres then the timing of the allocation for might need to be changed.
William Wilgus
2nd March 2011, 16:48
Short-lived tires are the exact opposite of F-1’s stated intent of going ‘green’. With Kers’ and movable rear wings’ limited use . . . and now the idea of ‘artificial rain’ . . . F-1 is decidedly moving away from true racing to become a true joke.
LTP
2nd March 2011, 17:21
WW,
You are the first that has picked up on this. This F1 going green BS, whilst at the same time, lets destroy lots of tyres, all made out of oil!
With the exception of handicapped horse racing, is there any other sport, so obsessed with trying to make it such a ‘level playing field’?
I have a lot of respect for the Aussie V8 motorsport which is all about racing. If this format was used in F1, it would be an amazing sport. What we have instead, is something that is becoming like a circus – anything for money. Sad, very sad.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
2nd March 2011, 17:29
I don’t see how you’re linking having tyres that degrade more quickly with levelling the playing field?
LTP
2nd March 2011, 17:48
Sorry Keith, I wasn’t, but that is how it read. The tyres were linked to the F1 BS attitude towards supporting the environment. Pirelli deliberately making tyres that fall apart, to make more pit stops, to make the sport more interesting. Surely people want to see racing, not some cicus.
The comments about the level playing field were just that – do you have any examples of other sports trying to do what F1 is doing?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
2nd March 2011, 18:00
You seem to have about three different ideas going on there at once and I can’t separate them out to see what your point is!
So here’s what I think:
F1 having tyres that wear out quickly – good, should improve the racing.
Will F1 get through more tyres because of it? – not necessarily, the tyre allocation is the same as it was last year.
F1 levelling the playing field – I don’t think this is happening, car performance will still be a big differentiator.
BBT
2nd March 2011, 19:15
they didn’t use the tyre allocation last year, they are certain to this year
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 18:43
Don’t a lot of touring car series also use ballast for the winner to even the field out?
And don’t restrictions on high tech materials, direct radio communication (and doping use) in cycling have the same target as in F1?
Swimming recently took a step back from the ultimate speeds reached with full body swimsuits (expensive material research) back to using only shorts to make the swimmer and his training methods more important.
Seems to be about the same to me.
Feynman
2nd March 2011, 19:59
LTP,
What?
The teams always used ALL their tyre allocation, they always have, do you think they left stickered-up new tyres on the truck and raced old worn practice sets? Within reason, whatever the allocation, they will always try to use them all.
This year the allocation is reduced further. 11 sets down from 14, with 3 handed back at various stages. They are therefore using less Pirellis per weekend than Bridgestones. Destroyed or not.
Tyres don’t get reused, even last years indestructable Bridgestones, so it didn’t matter how many laps they saw, they were all scrapped after the race.
Handicapping is applying differential performance to competitors, how does Pirelli “High-Degradation Tyres” in any way shape or form come to be regrarded as a handicapping mechanism, the exact same tyres are supplied to all teams.
None of your complaints even begin to stack-up, seriously, none of us reading this can even begin to figure out how you ended-up where you did from where we all started.
I am all for slamming idiotic FIA greenwashing and wrong-headed enviro-tardism, but when it is done in such a slapdash and clearly incorrect manner as this, all it does is just make everyone look bad.
Makes it harder to properly slam them when they do do something genuinely dopey.
VXR
3rd March 2011, 2:21
No more tyres will be used in 2011 than were used in 2010.
VXR
2nd March 2011, 18:52
What is “true racing” ?
mani
2nd March 2011, 21:16
on track racing… if two cars almost equal in performance pit on the same lap and one comes out in front of the traffic while other into the traffic – the car in the traffic is at a disadvantage. Pit stops do influence racing in an unpredictable manner.
With too many pit stops, we’ll have too many shuffling on the field – this season there is going to be lots of slowing down, lots of over-takings that are not for positions and lots of “if only he wasn’t slowed down on the nth stint…” post-race comments… we just have to live with it.
In my opinion, 2 should be the ideal number for maximum pit-stops on a race and 0 should be for minimum. I just want – not all the time but at least most of the time – the cars on track to represent the racing order, that way a driver can race the one that is leading him or the one trailing him :)
That is just my opinion! :)
Robert
3rd March 2011, 1:19
Well believe me, you are NOT alone in that opinion. I think that races dominated by tyre and pitstop strategies are unbelievably dull. Recently I tried to watch Montreal 2010 again to see why so many people rate it as a great race, something to aspire to.. well I’m still trying to finish it. Within a few laps of the race starting the commentary was nothing but endless supposition and hypothesism on tyres and I just can’t stay interested.
So far as I remember the race order then got so mixed up with stops that it became damned hard to figure out who was in contention for the win.
Some, such as Icthyes above, may love the idea of being completely clueless for most of the race as to who is racing well or love the idea of needing a mathematics degree to read a race but I’m with you.. have the leaders out front fighting it out on track.
W-K (@w-k)
2nd March 2011, 16:49
I think Seb is absolutely right. If they start on the soft tyres they had to use for qualifying then the first pit stop could be lap 10 or earlier. And three sets of new hards are only going to make it to the end if they are not mistreated.
So if they are not all new or mistreated then 4 stops could be a regular occurrence.
With only 7 sets of tyres for qualifying and the race, and some drivers might have to use more than three sets in qualifying. So having all new sets a each pit stop in the race might be impossible, and some of them might be options.
jake
2nd March 2011, 17:04
doesn’t sound like we’ll be seeing much action in practice then
luigismen
2nd March 2011, 17:24
that’s exactly what I was thinking, less running to save the tyres
Icthyes (@icthyes)
2nd March 2011, 17:58
I think it will be the same as last year, you get one set which you have to give back, there will be no advantage to not running
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 18:47
It will be even more important now, with the tyres wearing more.
But didn’t Pirelli state, that they would be OK to talk about keeping these sets for the rest of the weekend if it proved to be a problem.
On the other hand, practice might prove even more important, as the tyres really force you to get it right first time, so drivers will need to work on setup.
Bleu
2nd March 2011, 17:12
Well I think last year there was many tyres which were almost unused after each race. While every team having three hards and three softs for qualifying and race, top teams probably used set of hards in Q1 and Q2 and had no trouble getting into Q3. Then two sets of softs in Q3, using one of them in the beginning of the race and then new set of hards for the remainder of the race. Basically that leaves two very little used hard sets and one completely unused soft set.
While this year tyres will be mostly used to the end if driver finishes the race. With early retirements the tyres will be used much less. Regarding practice runs, I don’t think it makes difference unless the tyres are really shot and it’s not sensible to drive anymore. The teams have to give tyres back after practice session so it would be crazy if they used more tyres than those they give back.
HounslowBusGarage
2nd March 2011, 17:18
“Vettel expects three- or four-stop races in 2011”
To be honest, this sounds pretty awful.
Only the hardcore fan will be able to spot who is genuinely faster or leading until the last couple of laps. For less dedicated, knowledgable or attentive viewers, races could become entirely and chaotically confusing.
LTP
2nd March 2011, 17:27
HBG,
This is my point. It is a show. It is not about racing. Whats next, Community Chest cards when they come into pit! “Move up four places”…”Its your Birthday, overtake the leader”! Laughable? Only as laughable as an adjustable rear wing that can only be used at certain stages of the race and this growing interest in using artificial rain. What a sad joke!
Icthyes (@icthyes)
2nd March 2011, 17:59
So let’s get rid of it and go back to pretty much knowing the result 1/4 of the way into the race.
I thought not.
BBT
2nd March 2011, 19:17
Yes please.
Robert
3rd March 2011, 1:29
Actually it’s about knowing the drivers’ true pace and seeing them fight wheel to wheel instead of having the best strategists. By saying “know the result 1/4 in” you’re saying there is no expectation of any driver to pass on-track.
Rob Wilson
2nd March 2011, 18:02
4 stops in a normal dry race! Can’t help thinking maybe theres a sweet middle ground between tyres that last a full race distance and ones that you have to replace 4 times before the finish! This degradation is sounding like a bit too much! 2 or maybe 3 stops is enough XD But ah well lets just see how it goes.
nickthegeek
2nd March 2011, 18:04
Whats the fuss, the tactical race (lets face it thats the real race in modern F1) will be fantastic with 3-4 stops. It doesn’t make it a circus at all, everyone is playing by the same rules. Its just an added dimension so we can avoid watching 24 cars follow the leader for 60 laps.
My vote goes for 3 stops min. The sport needs it. As said they will have the same amount of tyers so no more are produced so this green argument is null and void.
Todfod (@todfod)
3rd March 2011, 6:20
On the flipside…. the refuelling ban was implemented to avoid drivers waiting for other drivers to make pit stops, and then jump them. Last year we actually saw a decent amount of overtaking, and besides my initial skepticism, I actually believed that the refuelling ban resulted in better racing.
This year however, we could see race strategists informing drivers about the tyre degradation of the car they are chasing, and again, we can be left with drivers jumping up positions during pitstops. Setting up a minimum pit stop rule will make it even more predictable.
Icarus
2nd March 2011, 18:10
I don’t believe the race will be 4 stoppers, I think it will be 2/3 stops, maybe 1 for the more adventurous. GP2 asia race has proven that Pirelli tires are somewhat more durable than thought at the testing.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd March 2011, 18:48
I suppose that is a large part to do with temperature at testing being generally lower than at the races.
Sunseeker
2nd March 2011, 19:00
I really bope we’ll se some brave risky strategies. I really hope these Pirellis won’t dissapoint and really will be for only 10-15 laps
Nigelstash (@)
2nd March 2011, 19:49
Vetel – “I just hope it doesn’t make overtaking too easy, because then it would make the racing artificial.”
I thought he would welcome the chance to actually do some overtaking for a change!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
2nd March 2011, 20:08
Nice to see such a level headed approach from Seb.
Personally, I think alot of the drivers are over-egging the amount of stops needed. I can’t see 4.
The risk is that the tyres may degrade TOO much and any over-taking we may have had is decided in the pit-lane.
mani
2nd March 2011, 21:25
Even on a positive note, it is going to be 2 minimum stops per race.
With so many pit stops, we’ll have too much shuffling on the field –- this season, there will be lots of slowing down, lots of over-takings that will become void as soon as the overtaken driver enters the pits and lots of “if only he wasn’t slowed down on the nth stint…” post-race comments… we just have to live with it.
Maverick_23
2nd March 2011, 22:15
Jenson Button must be licking his lips!!
VXR
3rd March 2011, 2:24
Well he would be if the car was any good.
Guerra
2nd March 2011, 22:23
Correct me if I’m wrong but isnt F1 the pinnacle of motorsport? I ask this as it seems these tyres are not the pinnacle/best option.
If i was a team owner I’d only want the best. Forget the “everyone has to use them” line cause thats not the point. I want to see the best of the best going around, and if you say they are then , yes, f1 is becoming a joke, because they arent. Seems a backwards step.
Im in favour of just letting the teams go loose, creating a real competition where maxium effort is required and not everyone is put on an artificial platform to equal them out. Thats all, rant over, peace.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
3rd March 2011, 0:42
Indeed F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. So much so that no other formula has to contend with so many variables. THAT is the test. It’s part of the formula.
Guerra
3rd March 2011, 22:58
My opinion of the best would be to have parts that perform these tests the best. The fact they are not even attempting to achieve this is what im questioning.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
2nd March 2011, 22:34
Given the severe degradation of the softs, do you think some of the top ten might be inclined to use the harder compound during Q3? We might get some more split strategies from the start of the race much like canada last year, and we all know how that went down!
I’m so excited. Bring on Melbourne!
Palle
2nd March 2011, 22:54
The sooner the leading pack has to pit, the more they come out in traffic and those of them who can put the best and luckiest strategy and overtake the cars they get out behind will have success. I believe it can become very exciting to watch, albeit confusing, but maybe therefore more interesting for those who normally think F1 is boring after the first quarter of the race or after the pit stop round.
Jamie Franklin
2nd March 2011, 23:25
Personally, I’m relishing the idea of lots of pit stops. One was fine, but it made the racing very predictable. Unless two or more cars genuinely had the same pace as each other, then it was pretty obvious halfway through the race who would win etc.
With this system, there will be lots of jostling for position, and to make their strategy work, they will need to overtake on the track if they get stuck behind a slower car. If they can’t overtake that car, then that’s their own fault, they couldn’t make that strategy work.
Even though i’m only 18, so I don’t remember the days of Mansell almost winnin the title in…87? (Not 100%), almost winning the title, but losing it due to severe tyre degradation. You could say that it’s beside the point, but tyres have played a part in racing for a very long time, and lots of people see this as a great opportunity to create excitement and entertainment. Formula 1 is a sport, but without the fans and sponsors, there would be a lot less money in the sport, so it needs to be entertaining to ensure it has a future.
Not only that, but as aforementioned, the strategies in qualifying are going to be very interesting. A lot of teams may tend to go with the same compound, but there could be a few people who switch it up, which is always good to mix things up. There could well be a race in which Jenson can make the softer tyres work in the first stint, compared to the likes of Hamilton, who may need the harder compound. It may not always be the fastest at the front, but the most technically minded, or well-rounded driver, which is a huge plus in my opinion.
Overall, i’m very excited for the start of the new season :D
Alex Bkk (@alex-bkk)
2nd March 2011, 23:52
4 stops for tyres, I’m trying to remember when I saw a dry race where the bulk of the field pitted for tyres 4 times?
I think that one of the top 3 teams will always get the high step on the podium, but this should really mix up the rest of the order.
Oh, has there been any feed back from any of the drivers regarding the turbulence of following another car closely now that the bouble diffusers are gone?
VXR
3rd March 2011, 2:27
I remember a certain Ferrari driver pitted 4 times once, and he won the race!
Formula1 (@s2g-unit)
3rd March 2011, 0:18
I’m glad the tires won’t last a whole race. That was just stupid. The only problem I see coming is the safety car rules that need to be revised. I think lapped cars should un-lap themselves when they fall behind the safety car. There is no need to have 1st place behind the safety car nut 2nd place 3-4 cars down because of backmarkers.
How can we propose this gets fixed.
F1_Dave
3rd March 2011, 0:22
dont like it at all.
teams been forced to stop twice was bad enough but everyone been forced to stop 3-4 times is ridiculous!
this season will be a complete and utter joke.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
3rd March 2011, 0:44
Just as we thought it would be in 2010? The re-fuelling ban with the Bridgestone’s last year was a complete polarisation of this argument and 2010 is/was regarded as one of the best seasons ever.
It’s rarely as bad as people think it is ;)
Alex Bkk (@alex-bkk)
3rd March 2011, 0:48
Ahhh… but they are not being “forced” to stop 4 times (if indeed Vettel is correct in his thinking) they are being forced to stop two times.
The other two stops would be up to the drivers and the teams. For those who like delve into the strategic elements of a race, this should be a dream come true.
F1_Dave
3rd March 2011, 1:21
but they are been forced if the tyres dictate that doing anything else is impossible.
the reason 3-4 stops ar ebeen talked about is simply because the tyre wear has been so bad to this point that this is what the tyre wear would dictate everyone do.
besides even been forced to stop twice because of the tyre wear isnt good.
StefMeister
3rd March 2011, 0:25
I don’t mind so much the tyres wearing, Although I don’t think all the compounds should wear in order to force x number of stops a race. The thing however I don’t like about the new tyres is just how much the performance drop’s off throughout there stint.
If you have around a 3-4-5 second performance difference between various cars because of the tyres its going to be like watching a race between a Red Bull & a HRT from last year & im not so sure that sort of thing is going to be that exciting to watch.
As to 3-4 pit stops, Woudn’t mind it if thats what a team/driver opted to do, Don’t like it been that way simply because the whole range of tyre compounds are wearing at a high rate to force more pit stops.
It should be more open like it was Pre-94/Refueling. Say 4 compounds which can be used however each team/driver wants to during a race. If Hamilton wants to go flat out on Soft’s planning 2-stops or more while Button wants to try & No-Stop on Hard’s then let them & if they switch strategy Mid-Race & opt to switch to another compound they can.
Something else about having more pit stops. If everyone knows that everyone has to do a specific number of stops due to tyres, I think we could see more passing via pit stops again like we saw far too often during the refueling era. Say you have Vettel 1st & Alonso 2nd with Vettel pushing hard & using his tyres, We could see Ferrari tell Alonso to conserve his tyres rather than push to try & jump Vettel during the pit stops. Or Maybe pit Alonso early so he gets a performance boost on fresh tyres in order to jump Vettel after he makes his stop.
Gusto
3rd March 2011, 0:39
I`ve never been a great fan of pits stops, There an accident waiting to happen, now they are there as an extension of the race track to spice up the racing, Imagine 24 drivers making a pit stop every 11 laps. If it isnt a disaster itwill be a NASCAR style entry an exit with whoop whoop to follow, and Pirelli in favour of Bernie`s water happy hour……. roll on the BTCC.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
3rd March 2011, 1:54
I think it will be 2-3 pit stop in 2011.
VXR
3rd March 2011, 2:32
Schumacher won the 2004 French GP after pitting four times. It’s not like four stops never happened before. Honestly! You’d think that most people on here had only been watching F1 since 2007!
F1_Dave
3rd March 2011, 14:49
yes and that 4 stop strategy absolubely killed that race.
we went from schumacher and alonso been right together on the track fighting it out, to them been seperated by about 15 seconds as they went onto different strategies. race became boring as soon as the 4 stop strategy was put in place as the 2 going for the win were nowhere near one another on the track plus the eventual pass for the lead was done in the pit lane.
as to how long ive been watching f1, over 45 years and counting.
Pinball
3rd March 2011, 3:15
I suspect that there will be even less overtaking this year. We know that drivers are very reculant to go off the racing line for fear of hitting marbles, and marble problem is going to be worst this year; assuming Vettel is right about 3 or 4 pit stops a race, that means 4 or 5 sets of tyres, meaning a heap of marbles.
So you have the marble problem, but you also have the pit stop problem. With so many pit stops where is the incentive to pass on track when a driver could try to nurse his tyres and do one less pit stop than everyone else.
Therefore I think this year will be a massive game of follow the leader, and don’t wreck your tyres.
VXR
3rd March 2011, 8:36
At last years season opener in Bahrain, all of the drivers took it easy on their tyres fearing that they would fall to pieces if they pushed them too hard. They were surprised to find that they could have actually gone much quicker than they had, and probably could have done the entire race on one set of tyres.
Will drivers play follow the leader? Doubtful, since some cars will be obviously quicker than others regardless of tyre usage.
Will some drivers try and nurse their tyres in order to do one less stop? In order to “nurse” your tyres you have to drive either more slowly or more skillfully than other drivers. Only one of those methods will be of benefit to you.
RaulZ
3rd March 2011, 14:07
I think they’ll do 1 stop, later 2 stops, but it’s easy that after that, if noone moves, they’ll keep the tyres till the end, even if they run slow.
That’s what happened last year in Canada. They want to be fast but after half race they’ll be conservative.
StefMeister
3rd March 2011, 15:10
I don’t think the comparissons to Canada last year are necisarily a good comparisson.
At Montreal last year the tyres did wear faster than usual, However the performance difference between Fresh/New tyres & Soft/Hard compounds was never more than about 1.5-2 seconds.
The performance difference between these new Pirelli’s is 4-5+ seconds. Thats going to make racing between 2 drivers on different types of tyre meaningless as that sort of performance gap is going to see the slower car totally defenseless.
Also at Montreal drivers could nurse the tyres & save them, Most of them were doing this in the latter stages. From driver feedback so far these new Pirelli’s can’t be nursed as regardless of how you drive them they still don’t last & still lose performance at the same rate.
The thing I’ve always loved about F1 & other series is the Racing, I love watching 2 or more guys fighting it out on the track, One desperately defending while the other is trying to find a way through.
If it comes down to Driver A been 4-5+ seconds faster than Driver B simply because of there tyre compounds/wear & he catches & passes almost immediately because of that difference, Yes we’ll see a pass but it won’t be that good to watch. Like I said earlier its like watching a 2010 Ferrari & HRT racing for position…A No contest.