2016 Malaysian Grand Prix tyre strategies and pit stops

2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Three Virtual Safety Car periods during the Malaysian Grand Prix meant some drivers got lucky with their strategies – while others were left to rue their misfortune.

The Force India drivers in particular were undone by Valtteri Bottas running a single-stop strategy after the Williams driver started outside the top ten on the medium compound tyres. Bottas was also aided by another rapid pit stop by the Williams crew.

“It was a solid race for us today, but I think we were a bit unlucky with the way the race unfolded,” said Pere.

“At the start, things looked very positive. I had a good launch, stuck to the inside line and was up to third after turn one. There were some very quick cars behind me and I knew there was no point in fighting too hard and destroying my tyres.”

“The key moment of my race was the first Virtual Safety Car, because it handed a big advantage to those who were able to start on the medium tyres, and dropped me down the order when I pitted.”

Another driver who managed to make a single-stop strategy work was Jolyon Palmer and he reaped the reward of his first points finish in F1.

2016 Malaysian Grand Prix tyre strategies

The tyre strategies for each driver:

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2016 Malaysian Grand Prix pit stop times

How long each driver’s pit stops took:

Stint 1Stint 2Stint 3Stint 4
Daniel RicciardoSoft (21)Hard (20)Soft (15)
Max VerstappenSoft (9)Soft (18)Hard (14)Soft (15)
Nico RosbergSoft (9)Hard (22)Hard (10)Soft (15)
Kimi RaikkonenSoft (20)Hard (12)Hard (8)Soft (16)
Valtteri BottasMedium (29)Hard (27)
Sergio PerezSoft (9)Medium (23)Hard (24)
Fernando AlonsoSoft (9)Hard (18)Soft (13)Soft (16)
Nico HulkenbergSoft (9)Medium (19)Hard (12)Soft (16)
Jenson ButtonSoft (9)Hard (28)Soft (19)
Jolyon PalmerHard (31)Soft (25)
Carlos Sainz JnrSoft (20)Hard (17)Soft (19)
Marcus EricssonSoft (21)Soft (16)Hard (18)
Felipe MassaSoft (1)Hard (5)Hard (25)Medium (24)
Daniil KvyatSoft (1)Hard (28)Soft (11)Soft (15)
Pascal WehrleinSoft (9)Hard (21)Hard (11)Soft (14)
Esteban OconSoft (12)Hard (19)Hard (24)
Felipe NasrMedium (32)Hard (14)
Lewis HamiltonSoft (20)Hard (20)
Esteban GutierrezSoft (1)Soft (21)Hard (17)
Kevin MagnussenMedium (1)Hard (16)
Romain GrosjeanSoft (7)
Sebastian Vettel
DriverTeamPit stop timeGapOn lap
1Nico RosbergMercedes23.47641
2Felipe MassaWilliams23.5280.0521
3Lewis HamiltonMercedes23.6890.21320
4Nico RosbergMercedes23.7500.2749
5Felipe MassaWilliams23.7780.30231
6Valtteri BottasWilliams23.8280.35229
7Max VerstappenRed Bull23.8560.38027
8Fernando AlonsoMcLaren23.9200.44440
9Jolyon PalmerRenault23.9280.45231
10Max VerstappenRed Bull23.9350.4599
11Sergio PerezForce India23.9470.47132
12Nico HulkenbergForce India24.0120.53628
13Fernando AlonsoMcLaren24.0610.58527
14Daniel RicciardoRed Bull24.1970.72121
15Daniil KvyatToro Rosso24.3380.86229
16Carlos Sainz JnrToro Rosso24.4000.92420
17Daniel RicciardoRed Bull24.4080.93241
18Kimi RaikkonenFerrari24.4120.93632
19Felipe MassaWilliams24.4250.9496
20Carlos Sainz JnrToro Rosso24.4730.99737
21Kimi RaikkonenFerrari24.5841.10820
22Jenson ButtonMcLaren24.6451.16937
23Nico RosbergMercedes24.6611.18531
24Felipe NasrSauber24.6971.22132
25Marcus EricssonSauber24.7061.23037
26Daniil KvyatToro Rosso24.7181.24240
27Jenson ButtonMcLaren24.7381.2629
28Kimi RaikkonenFerrari24.8091.33340
29Esteban GutierrezHaas24.8141.33822
30Esteban GutierrezHaas25.0061.53039
31Nico HulkenbergForce India25.1921.71640
32Fernando AlonsoMcLaren25.1951.7199
33Pascal WehrleinManor25.2011.72541
34Marcus EricssonSauber25.2721.79621
35Esteban OconManor25.3681.89212
36Pascal WehrleinManor25.8202.3449
37Pascal WehrleinManor26.1562.68030
38Nico HulkenbergForce India26.6093.1339
39Sergio PerezForce India27.0243.5489
40Max VerstappenRed Bull28.2744.79841
41Kevin MagnussenRenault30.6797.2031
42Esteban GutierrezHaas30.7827.3061
43Daniil KvyatToro Rosso32.4138.9371
44Esteban OconManor33.3389.86231

2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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One comment on “2016 Malaysian Grand Prix tyre strategies and pit stops”

  1. Those pit stop times really do tell a story with Mercedes, Williams and Red Bull consistently being the quickest and Sauber, Haas and Manor the consistently slowest. The rest seem to have mixed quick and slow stops indiscriminately. If Ferrari and McLaren want to challenge Mercedes and Red Bull for podiums (let alone wins) next year, they cannot afford to give away up to a second every time they pit.

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