Pirelli: Only one stop possible at the Canadian GP

If the Canadian Grand Prix has 70 laps, the low abrasiveness of the Montreal track and the greater resistance of Pirelli tires this season make the manufacturer consider F1 a race with only one or two stops even if the supplier of the discipline brought its softest tires. 

“The higher temperatures encountered during qualifying were a game-changer compared to the free practice sessions the day before during which the teams defined their settings”, explains Paul Hembery, Pirelli sporting director. “What is certain is that this will affect the racing strategies for tomorrow, although we expect choices based on one or, at most, two stops in the race. This is very indicative of the very low level of degradation and drop in performance of the tires, even on the softest qualities, despite the high temperature and the high stresses experienced in terms of traction. »

As a result, Pirelli believes that the best strategy at the Canadian Grand Prix is ​​a two-stop race with a start on super softs, a stop on lap 13 to change to soft tires and a second pit stop on lap 41 for another train of yellow-sided gums. An alternative strategy would consist of making a start on super softs with a single stop made on the 26th lap. The Italian manufacturer specifies that these strategies can evolve depending on the temperatures.