2013 Spanish Grand Prix - Barcelona

[raymondu999]

I think 3 stops will be the norm, with the random driver *cough*McLaren*cough* trying a two-stop. I absolutely do not believe that a 2-stop will be the norm. Nor do I believe it to be the quickest way around this race.

[bonjon1979]

Apparently it's the same tire they tested in Brazil last year, the one they used for Bahrain and Malaysia was a bit softer. This one will be slightly harder than last years medium compound. Given the tires how many stops are we predicting? I'd say a two stopper is entirely possible.

I wonder howmany teams will take a risk and try to one stop. McLaren with its two tire Gurus will consider it. Two stops will surely be the norm. I agre.

Are you being sarcastic? There's no way mclaren will one stop - jenson had to 4 stop last race and perez was on a three. i think that the only team that could be close to one stopping is lotus and even they won't be able to manage it at a fast enough pace.

[Neno]

Apparently it's the same tire they tested in Brazil last year, the one they used for Bahrain and Malaysia was a bit softer. This one will be slightly harder than last years medium compound. Given the tires how many stops are we predicting? I'd say a two stopper is entirely possible.

I wonder howmany teams will take a risk and try to one stop. McLaren with its two tire Gurus will consider it. Two stops will surely be the norm. I agre.

Are you being sarcastic? There's no way mclaren will one stop - jenson had to 4 stop last race and perez was on a three. i think that the only team that could be close to one stopping is lotus and even they won't be able to manage it at a fast enough pace.

Yup because of that they ended with only 10 sec gap, with 2 stops on winner, last race, and first race ended 10 sec ahead second with one stop less. For fast enough pace, look on Grosjean who with 3 stops ended 3rd and behind Raikkonen, so clearly Lotus have pace to do it how they want it, 2 stops, 4 stops,or 10 if they want, and they will be fast, because i dont call this year car who is grand prix winner with concesutive podiums, car without fast enough pace...

[raymondu999]

I still don't think lotus can 1-stop. But I do think they could two stop compared to the others who 3-stop.

[bonjon1979]

Are you being sarcastic? There's no way mclaren will one stop - jenson had to 4 stop last race and perez was on a three. i think that the only team that could be close to one stopping is lotus and even they won't be able to manage it at a fast enough pace.[/quote]
Yup because of that they ended with only 10 sec gap, with 2 stops on winner, last race, and first race ended 10 sec ahead second with one stop less. For fast enough pace, look on Grosjean who with 3 stops ended 3rd and behind Raikkonen, so clearly Lotus have pace to do it how they want it, 2 stops, 4 stops,or 10 if they want, and they will be fast, because i dont call this year car who is grand prix winner with concesutive podiums, car without fast enough pace...[/quote]

Sorry, I think you misunderstood. The lotus is definitely fast. What I meant was that if they were trying to do one stop then the pace they'd have to run to conserve the tyres wouldn't be fast enough to beat the 2-3 stoppers. Remember this is Barcelona, it's really hard on tyres. I expect they may try to do a 2 stop to other teams 3 but 1 stop isn't going to happen.

[Neno]

I dont see we will ever see on Pirelli's one stop in Barcelona. Not even Lotus can do it. That is a point, but they can do 2 stop when others doing 3 stop, and they proved that multiple time this year and last year and finished on podium and infront of them.

[iotar__]

Sorry, I think you misunderstood. The lotus is definitely fast. What I meant was that if they were trying to do one stop then the pace they'd have to run to conserve the tyres wouldn't be fast enough to beat the 2-3 stoppers. Remember this is Barcelona, it's really hard on tyres. I expect they may try to do a 2 stop to other teams 3 but 1 stop isn't going to happen.

Leaving 1 stop aside , I wouldn't be so sure about 2 stops for Lotus as compared to 3 stops by the others. The question is why they went for those strategies in Bahrain. Logically it should have been the other way round.

With Grosjean, I'm not sure, but I thought they were going for two stops. Two longer stints on hards and one on mediums. Then debris and forced early pitstop changed it to heavily compromised three-stopper.
With Raikonnen, I'm not sure either, but I wonder if they changed it after lost positions to Perez/Button. Alonso/Vettel situation might have played its part. They were basically racing DiResta and Vettel was out of reach. Considering RG's pace on a 3 stopper which under normal circumstances would have been even better it looked like a faster strategy. Available tyres played its part, of course, so maybe it was planned.

Also I remember Allison saying after Malaysia that three stoppers cost them some time to the best cars there. I think it is all about qualifying + position after couple of laps + who they are racing. They can always play with their tyre wear advantage by changing length of stints on hards/mediums vs track position. Barcelona 2013 might be different of course.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I still don't think lotus can 1-stop. But I do think they could two stop compared to the others who 3-stop.

I think obviously the weather/temperature will play a big factor. Catalunya is pretty abrasive, but if a 2 stop is possible, I think only Lotus can manage it. Will be looking at their trye deg Friday.

[raymondu999]

I think the tyres themselves will be able to *last* for the one stop. But I don't think the front left will have enough life left to *competitively* one-stop the race.

[Joey Zyla]

Alonso is my pick for the race win, with Vettel in second, and Webber in third.

[Racer X]

Im starting to agree with you guys 3 stops will be the Norm.

I think most teams will Qualify on Mids. So we all know the drill I think most teams will do this in race;

Mids_ [Push this set to Its peak performance and pit as soon as It drops]
Hards_ [longest run]
Mids_
Mids_

I think teams might push for getting most of their run on the Hards. So they dont worry about tire preservation when they go back on mids and focus on faster lap times. With less fuel for the final two Mid compound sets they will be quicker and preserve the tires better.

McLaren I think will go like this.....

Mids_
Hards_
Hards_

With button and perez its just always a possibility. Tho I hope they 3 stop with two Hards like this:

Mids_
Hard_
Hard_
Mids_

I hope they put In longer runs to give the Mids at the end a shorter work load so they can be more competitive. Hunt people down in the final laps.

[Joey Zyla]

No driver has won the Spanish GP twice since 2006, so it could be interesting.

[rssh]

How can one consider strategy for Spain ? What about the new hard compound tyres ? No one really know how long will they last. I expect FI & Lotus have better wear level relatively but if the hard compound is too hard then even RB can do a 2 stop. I don't bite what Pirelli claiming that the new hard is mid way btw 2012 and 2013 hard tyres . May be we will see a 4 stops from most teams and 3 stops from FI and Lotus ,who knows.

[F1andDone]

Spain, in Barcelona, might be the biggest snoozer on the calendar. Charles Pic is going to lead the thing from rope to rope.

[godlameroso]

It could be a viable strategy to leave some in your tires and sacrifice a few grid spots for a better race start. Although with these hard tires I imagine a few drivers could pull a two stopper, three being a very fast strategy indeed. It becomes even more interesting, now that Pirelli is allowing an extra set of tires for practice sessions; as teams will be able to have a more flexible strategy with additional soft or hard rubber available.