Toto Wolff: “We considered the offbeat strategy”

One of the questions at the start of the race just now in Austria (15:10 p.m.) will most certainly be to what extent the strategy of Max Verstappen et Red Bull Racing will have an importance on the first loops of the kick-off of the 2020 season.

The Dutchman and his team chose to achieve the best time of the car #33 in Q2 yesterday in qualifying with a set of medium tires, thus offering a different strategic choice than the two Mercedes W11 from Valtteri Bottas et Lewis Hamilton, who will precede Verstappen on the grid.

The latter could therefore lengthen his first stint and potentially take advantage of this offbeat strategy. An option that Mercedes did not choose, not without thinking about it.

“Verstappen's staggered tire strategy was smart because he will be able to go much further on the medium tires in the race, decrypted Toto wolff, Team Principal of the world champions.

We also considered the offset strategy but there is a risk of losing time at the start. We think a one-stop strategy can still work here, so the harder tire isn't necessarily an advantage.

Given that Verstappen lacked a bit of pace on just one lap, concluding Q2 on the mediums was the right thing to do. Temperatures are expected to be much higher this Sunday, which will add another parameter to the challenge. We hope for good reliability and that our pace will be good enough to be in the lead. »

The Austrian boss undoubtedly remembers the last unsuccessful outing of the Mercedes single-seaters in Austria, dominated by Red Bull and Ferrari in 2019, with hot conditions which were not necessarily favorable to the Silver Arrows.