Pirelli favours a two-stop strategy for the US GP, saying that it would be an intense strategic battle at COTA.
The race is set to have multiple factors influencing it. The condition of the track is not good, the pace of cars are inconsistent, and the tyres will be prone to wear. It will be a tricky Sunday to navigate for all teams involved.
Eight out of ten drivers will start the race on medium tyres, while Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda will start on softs. Pirelli favours a two-stop strategy, and said that starting on mediums would be the best move on paper.
As quoted by f1technical.net, Pirelli’s Head of F1 and Car Racing Mario Isola said, “The medium tyre was favoured by the majority of the top 10 on the grid, as starting on this compound allows more flexibility in terms of strategy.
“Managing the softs to avoid overheating – especially at the rear – is crucial in these warm conditions, and this makes the medium and the hard the key choices for the race.
“A two-stop strategy is the more likely, with the high speeds and abrasive surfaces here taking a lot out of the tyres.
“At the same time, the relatively low pit stop time loss and number of overtaking opportunities mitigate the advantages of a one-stopper. There are a number of different two-stoppers that are quite closely matched, depending on the race circumstances, so this looks set to be an intense strategic battle,” he concluded.
Plan of action
There were mostly warm temperatures at COTA, and the hint of a drizzle at one point. The hot track will cause high abrasion of the tyres, so a two-stop is the logical move.
Theoretically, a team will look to navigate the 56-lap race by having one stint on softs or mediums, and two on the hard compound.
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