2023 Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail, Oct 06 - 08

[AR3-GP]

It would be suicide to start on softs for any front runners I think. You are going to lose a lot of time in traffic with an early pit stop and have little to no tire advantage.

[organic]

Fabrega says that Sainz's participation in the race is not certain due to an ongoing fuel leak issue

[basti313]

Most teams will probably run mediums for a while - in order to open up some flexibility in their strategies.
Sprint showed very likely safety cars so having flexibility is a must. Soft may come as a last stint tyre when the flexibility is no longer required and performance (or restart performance) is paramount.

Hmmm...very difficult if you just sum up the tires. If Rus, Ham or Lec just use the best of their tires and run them the max allowance, they are left with 8 laps on the Soft. The tires had time to cool down in the Sprint...so this will be barely enough to talk about "performance", 8 laps on the Soft will be 100% nursing them home.
I think the ones with 4 sets M and H available like Alonso and the Alpines are better off in any case as they can react on a early and late SC better.

This race will be close to IndyCar in terms of how strategy can make or break your day, I just wish Verstappen did not have almost the best tyres. It would open up opportunities for other teams. Given how the tyres sit, it's possible VER is clearly ahead of the rest as he has good tyres and good tyre management.

Yes. There is not much that can happen against him if they just keep a safe undercut distance to the 2nd place.

[AnthonyG]

It would be suicide to start on softs for any front runners I think. You are going to lose a lot of time in traffic with an early pit stop and have little to no tire advantage.

Unless you get a safety car in the early phase. Then you can save some tyre life.

[FittingMechanics]

Most teams will probably run mediums for a while - in order to open up some flexibility in their strategies.
Sprint showed very likely safety cars so having flexibility is a must. Soft may come as a last stint tyre when the flexibility is no longer required and performance (or restart performance) is paramount.

Hmmm...very difficult if you just sum up the tires. If Rus, Ham or Lec just use the best of their tires and run them the max allowance, they are left with 8 laps on the Soft. The tires had time to cool down in the Sprint...so this will be barely enough to talk about "performance", 8 laps on the Soft will be 100% nursing them home.
I think the ones with 4 sets M and H available like Alonso and the Alpines are better off in any case as they can react on a early and late SC better.

This race will be close to IndyCar in terms of how strategy can make or break your day, I just wish Verstappen did not have almost the best tyres. It would open up opportunities for other teams. Given how the tyres sit, it's possible VER is clearly ahead of the rest as he has good tyres and good tyre management.

Yes. There is not much that can happen against him if they just keep a safe undercut distance to the 2nd place.

Russel should be fine - he has two 18 lap tyres and then two 13 lap medium tyres. This means 18+18+13+13 = 62.
Hamilton is borderline, he has two 18 lap tyres, one 13 lap tyre and one 10 lap tyre. 18+18+13+10 = 59.
Leclerc has 18+18+13+12 = 61

Norris 18+18+14+13=63
Piastri the same 63.

Verstappen 18+18+17+17=70.

[organic]

[AR3-GP]

They still have an hour.

[organic]

https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/statu ... LP5Dg&s=19

They still have an hour.

Fuel leak is a big issue. Albert will also be seeing the engineers faces, how hard they're working etc and maybe even talking to someone in the know about the issue

[basti313]

It would be suicide to start on softs for any front runners I think. You are going to lose a lot of time in traffic with an early pit stop and have little to no tire advantage.

Interesting thought...
What would happen if one of the Mercs starts on Softs? Let us assume he wins the start:
He would need to pit after 8? laps. That would leave you still some 10sec behind the last place, right? So another like 5 laps free air, then some backmarkers to pass and between lap 14 and 18 all others have to pit.

I am not sure if this is entirely bad to do such a stunt, especially in the Merc tire situation. IF there is an early SC, you always win as the field does not spread or you get a free stop.

Now I am more looking forward...GO SOFT STARTERS!

[search]

if anyone is wondering about Perez not getting the same +10s penalty as Sargeant: in Sargeant's case, he had to start from the pit lane anyway for using different specifications, that's why he got 10s for the 3rd chassis on top.

[CaribouBread]

Fabrega now claiming (in an unofficial capacity) that, Sainz won't be taking part.

[FittingMechanics]

Fabrega now claiming (in an unofficial capacity) that, Sainz won't be taking part.

Looks like the engineers packed up - so either it's fixed or he is not running.

[dans79]

has the fia clarified anything about safety car and VSC laps?

It seems moronic that, sighting and formation laps don't count against the total, but safety car and VSC laps do.

[atanatizante]

It would be suicide to start on softs for any front runners I think. You are going to lose a lot of time in traffic with an early pit stop and have little to no tire advantage.

Interesting thought...
What would happen if one of the Mercs starts on Softs? Let us assume he wins the start:
He would need to pit after 8? laps. That would leave you still some 10sec behind the last place, right? So another like 5 laps free air, then some backmarkers to pass and between lap 14 and 18 all others have to pit.

I am not sure if this is entirely bad to do such a stunt, especially in the Merc tire situation. IF there is an early SC, you always win as the field does not spread or you get a free stop.

Now I am more looking forward...GO SOFT STARTERS!

Yeah, I`ve thought about this offset too, coz Merc have nothing to lose... then I wonder had under the SC phase they would count the tyre laps remaining... it shouldn't be, coz they didn't were fully loaded on race pace ...

[CaribouBread]

Its official now, Sainz wont be starting according to the Scuderia.