Pirelli gives its ideal strategy for the Malaysian GP

Pirelli was not wrong in saying that a two-stop strategy was sufficient for the Australian Grand Prix, advice followed almost to the letter by Kimi Räikkönen who won last weekend in Melbourne. Concerns about excessive degradation of the rubbers nevertheless resurfaced this week on the very abrasive Sepang track where Pirelli brought its hardest rubbers. Some teams have already mentioned the possibility of making four stops if the tires collapse too quickly during long stints.

Strategies are difficult to establish for teams since weather conditions can vary very quickly in Malaysia at this time of year. Assuming that the Grand Prix is ​​contested entirely in the dry, Pirelli believes that a three-stop strategy is the most effective for the race. For the Italian manufacturer, the ideal race is to start on medium tires, make a first stop on the ninth lap to put on the hard tires and return to the pits on the 29th and 40th lap for new rubber with orange sidewalls. An alternative strategy would consist of starting on mediums, then passing another set of the same mixture on lap 13, then carrying out two stints on hard, with stops on laps 25 and 41. The drivers will have the advantage of being able to choose their tires for the start after encountering rain during the last qualifying session.

“Unusually for Q1, some of the top teams also ran the softer compound to preserve new tires for the race,” noted Pirelli sporting director Paul Hembery. “Now that drivers have the opportunity to start on the mixture of their choice tomorrow, the strategic possibilities are wide open. There is a difference of 0 sec per lap between the two mixtures and the data seen so far suggests that we should see around 8 stops tomorrow. But knowing the conditions here in Malaysia, we wouldn't be at all surprised to see the wet tires come out again at some point. »