4 Pit Stops Too Many?

[Jean-Pierre 0]

Welcome argento!

I would go with three pit stops max.

[Angellica 0]

Problem is, they hadn't agreed to anything. Pirelli unilaterally announced changes in the tires which, btw, seems to be in breach of current FIA regulations (there's an article somewhere about that)

The changes at the start of the season or now?

Bernie asked for the tyre thing to happen and at the start it was good, but then it went too far. If it was done in an attempt to stop Red Bull winning all the time, and some suggestions are that it was, then it's worked, but how unfair is that? What they've done in the process though is ruin the racing, I'm hoping that wasn't their intention.

Monaco isn't as hard on tyres and the fact teams will have to pit quite a lot could be good for getting some action on track, they can't pass there much anyway can they? It might even help Mercedes not to drop through the field like a stone! But at a race like Canada you'd have probably as many as six or seven stops, you'd be getting into the territory of Indianoplis when they couldn't race at all because of the tyres, and that's stupid.

[HandyNZL 1]

Well it all depends, JP, if that is the quickest strategy on the day. I don't think you can just blithely make a statement like that until you take into account all the variables, like grid position, how hot the track is, how much the tyres degrade....wait

[HandyNZL 1]

The changes at the start of the season or now?

Bernie asked for the tyre thing to happen and at the start it was good, but then it went too far. If it was done in an attempt to stop Red Bull winning all the time, and some suggestions are that it was, then it's worked, but how unfair is that? What they've done in the process though is ruin the racing, I'm hoping that wasn't their intention.

Monaco isn't as hard on tyres and the fact teams will have to pit quite a lot could be good for getting some action on track, they can't pass there much anyway can they? It might even help Mercedes not to drop through the field like a stone! But at a race like Canada you'd have probably as many as six or seven stops, you'd be getting into the territory of Indianoplis when they couldn't race at all because of the tyres, and that's stupid.

Monaco is a high downforce, "slow" track, which means the tyres are loaded heavily through aerodynamic means, and they also need to be soft so as to warm up and "perform". This might mean that some teams might try two stints on the softest compound - which will be interesting to say the least.

You can pass at Monaco, but it requires the assistance of the car you are passing. Just ask Lewis or Massa about this

Canada is just a rough horrible track surface, and the teams don't have enough tyres by that stage of the weekend to do seven stops, so that just isn't going to happen. (Tyres get taken away at the end of the P sessions even if they are unused) Canada could well be won by the car that punctures last. So Merc is out, and Marussia has a flippin good chance...

[Angellica 0]

Yes you can pass in Monaco, it just doesn't happen that often does it?

I wasn't even thinking about how many sets of tyres the teams would have left by the race, you're right they wouldn't have eight sets to do seven stops, duh me! Well they might if it rained

In Canada you really do find out who can look after their tyres and who can't, Hamilton is never going to do well given he's harder than a lot on his tyres I would say. Marussia winning? Wow, that would be something wouldn't it? Even them getting in the points would be huge. McLaren have two drivers good at looking after their tyres, Perez seemed to make about half the pitstops of everyone else last year and Button is a smooth driver, if only they had a fast car this year to allow that to work in their favour.

Thing is they're going to sort the tyres before then, so they say.

[Jean-Pierre 0]

Well Andy

I hate to see someone having a great race ruin his race because he has to pit after his tires are degrading ridiculouslyv fast. To me this is a variable which has been introduced this year - it is the case race after race whereas before it happened occasionaly- and i don't like it one bit.

[HandyNZL 1]

FIA has said no to the changes, so we race on...good result in my mind as this doesn't favour one team over another, perceived or real.

[HandyNZL 1]

Well Andy

I hate to see someone having a great race ruin his race because he has to pit after his tires are degrading ridiculouslyv fast. To me this is a variable which has been introduced this year - it is the case race after race whereas before it happened occasionaly- and i don't like it one bit.

Nickname Handy, real name, Craig, JP Ain't no Andy...

[Jean-Pierre 0]

Got it. Sorry about that Graig, I mean Craig!

[Angellica 0]

FIA has said no to the changes, so we race on...good result in my mind as this doesn't favour one team over another, perceived or real.

It's fair on all the teams in that they aren't favouring anyone, but it's stupid given how the racing is going. Canada is going to be a lousy race if they can't really push due to the tyre situation. I can see teams running out of tyres at this rate.

[Massa 0]

Well, the tires will still change to eliminate the rear tire failures. The FIA won't let changes go beyond those needed for safety, however. It's unclear what that actually means, and Pirelli still insist on making the changes as large as the FIA will allow. So, not quite racing on just yet.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107487

Personally, I can't wait to just run the race in Monaco and have two hours to not have to think about this situation. The pretty cars are a nice distraction.

[Quiet One 15]

I think it means they will change the structural design tio avoid delamination, but won't change the material or the profile. The good thing is that in that case nobody has the slightest idea on who will be benefited.

Today I stumbled upon one of the best articles on the tire affair. Believe it or not, it comes from Andrew Davies:

http://planetf1.com/editorial/8719543/Tyred-and-Emotional

[The Shadow 0]

So basically kevlar instead of steel ribs.

Hope it doesn't descend to a Bullfest from Canada onwards

[HandyNZL 1]

Well, the tires will still change to eliminate the rear tire failures. The FIA won't let changes go beyond those needed for safety, however. It's unclear what that actually means, and Pirelli still insist on making the changes as large as the FIA will allow. So, not quite racing on just yet.

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/107487

Personally, I can't wait to just run the race in Monaco and have two hours to not have to think about this situation. The pretty girls are a nice distraction.

There...fixed it.

[Quiet One 15]

There...fixed it.

That's exactly what I was going to do!

Whoever watches Monaco for the racing instead of the girls has no grasping of what F1 is all about.

[Angellica 0]

That's exactly what I was going to do!

Whoever watches Monaco for the racing instead of the girls has no grasping of what F1 is all about.

Ahem, I watch Monaco for the racing and not the girls

[Quiet One 15]

Ahem, I watch Monaco for the racing and not the girls

And I pity you

[Angellica 0]

And I pity you

You're so kind

[F1 FANatic 1]

I don't think four stops are too many if four stops are needed for the right reasons. Schumi won a race on four stops because they calculated it ti be faster to stop 4 times and do quali runs for almost the entire race than to stop two or three times with longer fuel stints. There the tires helped because they were durables enough to allowed a driver to go as fast as they could for as long as they needed to. But this season the stops are not because it will give you a better race but because the equipment supplied is so crappy that Alonso was even driving 3.4 seconds a lap slower on average than in 2010 and 2011.

So what we really got was Formula one becoming not driving as fast as you can to win but driving just fast enough not have your tyres delaminate on TV. And I doubt Sir Jackie had that in mind when he said he the drove only fast enough to win.

[Angellica 0]

I don't think four stops are too many if four stops are needed for the right reasons. Schumi won a race on four stops because they calculated it ti be faster to stop 4 times and do quali runs for almost the entire race than to stop two or three times with longer fuel stints. There the tires helped because they were durables enough to allowed a driver to go as fast as they could for as long as they needed to. But this season the stops are not because it will give you a better race but because the equipment supplied is so crappy that Alonso was even driving 3.4 seconds a lap slower on average than in 2010 and 2011.

So what we really got was Formula one becoming not driving as fast as you can to win but driving just fast enough not have your tyres delaminate on TV. And I doubt Sir Jackie had that in mind when he said he the drove only fast enough to win.

Completely agree with you. That many stops for strategy is one thing, having to drive slowly and pit that many times to protect the tyres is entirely another.

[rwgordon 0]

4 stops are too many, it's only because Pirelli's tyres are made of crumbly cheese that it's a feasible option. It's not what they are aiming for but the ridiculous situation with the degrading tyres makes it a realistic option. I think it's an approach that could help the mid-range teams (like a Lotus/Mercedes) but not a risk that the front runners (RBR/Ferrari) will take as they strategise against each other.

[Emmcee 0]

I think it is to much as it doesn't allow the driver to push when he needs to or wants to, webber himself said the cars are setting gp2 times, that's rediculous, he exaggerated just a bit but I can see where he is coming from, bring back Bridgestone and bring back refuelling IMO, gives us another aspect of trying to figure out there true pace. This is where Schumi IMO was the master, especially Hungary 1998 is what springs to mind, but back on subject, this is just a huge mess, we have lotus who threatens to pull out if the tyres are changed, like I said bring back Bridgestone or Michelin and allow teams to choose and bring on the tyre war.