[Official] Austrian Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 1 of who knows how many

[Adam43]

In terms of making the lapped cars drive round to catch up the lap rather than the other way round and credit it, I think that there are a couple of considerations. One is the principle that you don’t want a car to finish ahead that has completed less distance. Another is that it helps make sure there are no fuel level benefits I guess.

[gert]

Originally Posted by Greem

In any case, the deployment of SC/VSC/FCY etc sometimes throws the strategists a lifeline - and makes for interesting races. Which is, after all, what we want.

Isn't it?

Not always.
If they choose the 'wrong' way to pace the field (like they did the first 2 times is Austria IMO) then I am more annoyed by that than happy for whatever interest that might create.

[Taxi645]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

I wonder when Verstappen will get the balance issues fixed this weekend, if he'll dare to try and get to Q3 on the hards?

He'll need to try to do something to beat the Mercedes. If Albon manages 4th this time to give him some cover on lap 1, it would leave a lot of strategy options during the race:

- No safety car: switch to the softs on lap ~45. Have a light car on fresh fast rubber to attack.
- Mid race SC: switch to the mediums, he'll be on fresher and faster rubber. Race win quite likely.
- Post lap 42 SC: switch to softs, chance of race win even more likely.

In general I do wonder why Red Bull don't try the hard tyre option to start on more often. You fall nicely into the gap in front of the midfield, you can then in clean air focus on optimizing lap time vs. tire/fuel consumption and wait out for any safety car opportunity. Once you're on the fresh fast rubber, the speed delta will be such that an overtake will be relatively easy.


Especially on a quite short run up to T1 like at Spielberg, you're less vulnerable to get caught out of the line.

Well it's did seem to work for him in Silverstone, although the blistering Mercedes and the generally quite soft Pirelli collection helped of course.


Didn't seem to have much problems getting away at the start either though.