What are the approach alternatives for the Spanish Sizable Prix?

The prestigious Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya offers a compelling platform for analyzing tire strategies in Formula 1 racing.

According to Mario Isola, head of motorsport at Pirelli, the circuit serves as a “rigorous test of vehicle and tire performance,” placing the highest demands on tire durability and grip. Consequently, Pirelli supplies their most robust compounds for this event-namely, the C1 as the hardest, the C2 as medium, and the C3 as the softest-ensuring teams have options to adapt to the challenging conditions.

Historically, despite the hard tire’s prominence in the lineup, race strategies at the Spanish GP tend to favor softer compounds, with most teams opting for two-stop plans. Mario Isola noted that “a two-stopper is almost essential,” and predicted that the medium and soft tires will be the primary choices for most drivers. “On Friday, we observed that the hard tire tends to degrade too quickly, and lap times on softer compounds are significantly faster,” he explained.

So, what strategic options are available for this year’s Spanish Grand Prix?

Recap of the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix: Key Insights

Last year’s top three finishers were Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Lewis Hamilton.

All three drivers employed a two-stop strategy, utilizing a combination of soft, medium, and soft tires during the race.

However, their approaches to achieving this varied significantly.

Hamilton was the first to pit, making a switch to medium tires on Lap 16. Verstappen followed suit on Lap 17, also opting for mediums. Norris, on the other hand, extended his stint on the initial tire, delaying his first pit stop until Lap 23. Later, Hamilton pitted on Lap 43 for soft tires, which he maintained until the finish, with Verstappen executing a similar move a lap later. Norris remained on his medium tires until Lap 47, when he transitioned to softs for his final stint.

Some drivers in the midfield adopted different strategies, including a two-stop approach with varied tire compounds. George Russell, for example, started on softs, pitted on Lap 15 for mediums, and later switched to hard tires on Lap 36, which he maintained until the race’s end. Similarly, Sainz Jr., Gasly, and Ocon all used a soft-medium-hard sequence to maximize their race pace.

The last notable strategy from last year involved Sergio Pérez, who started outside the top ten and employed a three-stop plan-soft-soft-medium-soft-to climb through the field. His stops occurred on Lap 13, Lap 31, and Lap 49, respectively, showcasing a highly aggressive approach.

What strategic options are on the table for this year’s race?

For 2024, Pirelli continues to favor a two-stop strategy, primarily utilizing soft and medium compounds, aligning with last year’s most effective approach.

Mario Isola highlighted that “the fastest strategy on paper remains the Soft-Medium-Soft sequence, as it did last year,” emphasizing its potential for quick lap times.

Teams aiming for early grip might start on soft tires, potentially extending the first stint to around Lap 12. The second stint could then be stretched to approximately Lap 40, concluding with a final soft tire run. This approach, especially with lighter cars, could allow drivers to reach the full race distance of 66 laps. Conversely, those seeking a more balanced race might opt for a two-medium stint, ending their race a few laps earlier. Notably, undercut strategies-where a driver pits early to gain track position-are particularly potent on this circuit.

An alternative to the traditional two-stop is the soft-medium-hard sequence. As illustrated in a recent F1.com graphic, drivers could start on soft tires, pit around Lap 10 for mediums, then pit again before the medium stint concludes, and finally switch to hard tires for the final laps. This multi-layered approach could be especially advantageous if the soft tires degrade faster than expected during the race.

This strategy could be particularly effective if the soft tires experience excessive wear during the race, allowing teams to adapt dynamically to evolving track conditions.

Alternative Tire Strategies Teams Might Consider

While a one-stop strategy remains an option, it carries significant risks due to tire degradation. Teams willing to gamble might start on medium tires, run them long, and then switch to softs late in the race, possibly during a safety car period-an occurrence that has happened in roughly 38% of Spanish GP races since 2017. Absent safety car intervention, drivers could pit around Lap 50 for soft tires and push aggressively to the finish.

Another approach, previously used by Pérez, involves a three-stop plan with soft, soft, medium, and soft tires. Although Pirelli considers this “too slow,” drivers with access to multiple fresh soft sets might still attempt it, especially if they aim to maximize tire performance and race pace.

Tire Allocation and Strategy Planning

Understanding how many tires each team has available is crucial for strategic planning, especially as teams aim to optimize their tire usage by the end of Q3 qualifying sessions.

For instance, Charles Leclerc, after a strong qualifying lap that placed him P4, opted to conserve tires for the race by starting with only two sets of medium tires and one soft. This decision was made to prioritize race pace over qualifying performance, as explained by Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur. “We chose to focus on race strategy from the start,” he said, “and we believe this will give us a competitive edge.”

Leclerc added, “Qualifying was challenging with limited soft tires, but we’re confident our race pace and tire management will allow us to compete effectively from P7. Our tire choices give us options to adapt during the race, and we’re eager to see how it unfolds.”

Mario Isola also pointed out that several drivers, including Leclerc, Ocon, and Haas’s Bearman, are carrying two sets of medium tires, indicating a shared strategic approach aimed at flexibility during the race.

Below is a summary of the tire allocations for key drivers on race day:

Drivers with two sets of fresh soft tires-such as Hülkenberg, Sainz Jr., Colapinto, and Tsunoda-may consider a three-stop strategy similar to Pérez’s last year, leveraging multiple soft sets to maximize pace and flexibility during the race.