The season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix turned out to be a reasonably typical race by way of technique with most of the drivers opting to finish the 57-lap race with a two-stop technique. F1Technical’s senior author Balázs Szabó delivers his tyre analaysis following the Manama F1 race.
Formula One’s sole tyre provider Pirelli introduced the three hardest compounds of its five-compound vary to the season-opener in Manama. It meant that the C1 compound served as the Hard tyre, the C2 as the medium and the C3 as the mushy rubber.
Pre-season testing and Thursday’s observe periods indicated that the red-walled tyre may emerge as a viable race tyre primarily based on its comparatively low degradation. It grew to become additionally obvious by means of the observe runs that the medium and the exhausting compound affords a comparable grip degree on a long term, however the latter yields decrease degradation, that means that the yellow-walled tyre won’t even make an look throughout the race.
Although groups generally get caught unexpectedly on Sunday as degradation may be completely different on race day in comparison with the race simulation runs carried out throughout observe periods, in Bahrain, groups had been capable of construct on the experiences that that they had gained earlier throughout the weekend. Drivers opted to the exhausting and the mushy tyres, and nobody selected the medium tyre which is an actual rarity throughout a grand prix.
It was Lance Stroll, who accomplished the longest stint on the white-banded tyres by racking up a complete of 30 laps throughout his closing stint. The greatest time on the C1 was recorded by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who posted a 1m34.090s on the second lap of his final stint (Lap 36).
The softest compound turned out to be a most well-liked tyre as each driver opted to begin the grand prix on the compound because of its excessive preliminary grip that supplied an excellent launch off the line.
Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez accomplished the longest stint on the red-walled rubber with a run of 21 laps. The quickest lap on the C3 got here from race winner Max Verstappen, who clocked an attention grabbing 1m32.608s on Lap 39 which was the second lap of his closing stint.
As for the strategies, most of the drivers elected to finish the opening race of the season with a two-stop technique.
The solely offset technique belonged to Haas racer Nico Hulkenberg, who made contact with Lance Stroll at the first nook on Lap 1 with the incident forcing the Emmerich-born driver to pit for brand new tyres and a brand new entrance wing at the finish of the first tour. The German driver pitted 3 times throughout the race (Lap 1, 20 and 41), however his early cease meant that he successfully accomplished the race with a two-stop technique.
Most of the drivers stopped for brand new tyres between Laps 9 and 15 with solely Max Verstappen extending his first stint till Lap 17. While the Dutchman misplaced a while on the used softs in the dying phases of his opening run in comparison with his direct rivals, he was capable of construct up such a niche till the first cease of his rivals that he may prolong his first stint in a bid to ascertain a strategic benefit to the remainder of the race.
Most of the drivers elected to cease for his or her third set of tyres between Laps 27 and 37 with Verstappen turning into certainly one of the final drivers to pit for the second time.
Of the two-stopping drivers, Fernando Alonso grew to become the final driver to pit for final recent set of tyres. The Spaniard may need been ready for a security automobile interruption which may have meant a smaller time loss in comparison with a pit cease in inexperienced flag situations.
Aside from Nico Hulkenberg who successfully elected for a two-stop technique, there have been two drivers who accomplished the opening race with a three-stop technique. Williams drivers Logan Sargeant and Alpine racer Pierre Gasly began the race with softs earlier than switching to the exhausting and finishing a 3rd stint on the C1 compound which was adopted by a closing stint on the red-walled tyres.
Both drivers made used of the proven fact that that they had loads of recent tyres obtainable after their dismal qualifying outcome. Moreover, the American driver’s race was compromised by an electronics glitch and the French driver may need wished to strive one thing completely different in what’s a really troublesome state of affairs for his staff because of the lack of tempo of their automobile.
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