Qatar GP 2024, race technique – After securing pole place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, George Russell as soon as once more begins on the entrance of the grid. In actuality, the quickest time was set by Max Verstappen, however a penalty promoted Mercedes’ W15 automotive quantity 63, confirming the staff’s sturdy type seen in the USA. Within the second row, the 2 McLaren drivers are positioned, sensing that the Constructors’ Championship is changing into extra inside attain, partly attributable to Ferrari not being at their greatest however nonetheless hoping to get better with race tempo proven through the Dash Race.
The result of the race is unsure, contemplating each the qualifying outcomes and, extra importantly, the Dash Race, which ended with a McLaren one-two end (Piastri forward of Norris, editor’s observe). Nonetheless, they had been unable to ascertain a big hole over the competitors, which stayed shut all through the race. Given this, and the difficult tire administration on a observe that locations numerous stress on the compounds, the race is predicted to be unpredictable in its last final result.
Earlier than diving into the small print of strategic predictions, let’s check out the tire selections made by Pirelli for the twenty third spherical of the 2024 World Championship. In contrast to Las Vegas, the place the softer compounds had been launched, Pirelli has introduced the toughest tires of their vary: C1 laborious, C2 medium, and C3 mushy. Let’s instantly take a look at the tire units accessible to the drivers.
Qatar GP 2024 – Technique: Single Cease Anticipated to Be Useful
It ought to be famous that predicting staff methods this yr has been significantly troublesome. Tires have usually been a puzzle, resulting in techniques that diverged from what was anticipated on paper.
For the Losail Grand Prix, it is very important think about the resurfacing of the curbs, that are decrease than final yr when many tire points arose because of the sharp edges of the curbs positioned on the exterior of the corners, resulting in tires getting minimize. This prompted a multi-stop technique final yr.
This yr, the problem has been resolved, and Pirelli’s engineers anticipate that the very best tactic can be a single cease, beginning with the medium tire, which ought to final between 19 and 25 laps, adopted by a change to the laborious tire to complete the race.
Apart from the curbs, Pirelli’s chief engineer Simone Berra highlighted that the general grip degree this yr is greater than final yr, stopping lateral sliding and untimely tire put on. The anticipated graining was lower than anticipated. This, mixed with decrease degradation, suggests {that a} single-stop technique would be the most advantageous.
In fact, there may be little information on the laborious tire, a compound not used through the Dash Race and solely seen briefly throughout Friday’s sole follow session. The efficiency of this compound would be the deciding issue: if it performs effectively, a single cease can be viable; in any other case, different methods reminiscent of a two-stop plan with two laborious tire stints after an preliminary medium stint could also be used.
There may be little expectation of using the mushy C3 tire, a compound that will result in extreme put on and fast efficiency degradation. Whereas a number of drivers have a number of units of this compound (Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and Esteban Ocon every have three accessible), it’s unlikely that anybody will use it, particularly since overtaking at Losail is troublesome, and having to get better positions can be very disadvantageous.
The race can be held beneath the climate situations noticed within the previous days, with temperatures not too excessive however winds that would trigger points, with gusts anticipated at as much as 40 kilometers per hour. The drivers might want to handle these situations, particularly by medium- to high-speed corners.
Moreover, the wind tends to deliver desert sand onto the observe, which doesn’t assist keep superb asphalt situations. This presents one other small problem, an extra variable to think about within the troublesome equation that’s the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
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