Pirelli predicts two-pit stop strategy

Pirelli racing department head Mario Isola commented on the results of qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix and made a prediction for Sunday’s race.

Mario Isola: “Today was another example of how changeable the weather can be at Spa! Both we and the teams were expecting rain on Saturday, so the information gathered during Friday’s practice will be crucial in determining the strategy for the race, which should take place in dry conditions.

Compared to last year, the balance has shifted to a two-stop strategy thanks to the new surface. This also means that the C2 compound is much better suited to the race than it was twelve months ago. And the choice in its favour will be made thanks to the soft C4 tyres. However, all three compounds are reasonably suited to the race. Moreover, only four teams – Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Alpine – have two Hard kits.

In theory, the fastest strategy is the first segment on Medium, followed by two segments on Hard. A logical alternative is Medium-Hard-Medium, but the options Soft-Hard-Hard and Soft-Hard-Medium cannot be ruled out.

The one pitstop strategy is too slow, and the three pitstop strategy on a circuit where overtaking is possible is not faster. At least according to the simulation.

Another factor to consider is that the settings chosen today will remain the same during the race. This could also change the balance of power that we saw during qualifying.

It is worth noting that in qualifying on a wet track, six drivers can fit through a lap of seven kilometers in just 0.430 seconds. Of course, there is one driver who was almost six-tenths ahead of everyone else in the final, but his name is Max Verstappen.”