Red Bull F1 team Christian Horner said there was “no point” in permanently mandating when drivers must pit after conducting a trial at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Pirelli detected a defect in the tire sidewall under a microscope at the Losail International Circuit last weekend. The problem was caused by drivers driving over new curbs that were raised by 50mm for extended periods of time.
As a result, tire manufacturers and the FIA have imposed a maximum stint length of 18 laps on the 57-lap Grand Prix, forcing drivers to use a three-stop strategy. However, this was criticized for being too rigid and resulting in a predictable race. This is a sentiment echoed by Mr Horner, who therefore believes that F1 should not feel the need to make it permanent or risk affecting qualifying. “Giving freedom breeds creativity,” Horner said. “Mandatory pit stop? That would affect things like the end of qualifying and how many laps you do in qualifying to save tires for the race… so it doesn’t make sense to me. “One stop would be it. But whether it’s two stops or three stops, we want to run the fastest race. That’s where we need to be.” New three-time world champion Red Bull’s Max Verstappen said he was racing until the lights or the flag. He took the lead and won by 4.8 seconds over McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri. The difference would have been even bigger if Verstappen hadn’t slowed down for the safety car. Verstappen is also known for his efforts to save tires this season with his RB19, but that aspect has been somewhat relaxed due to FIA restrictions. “From a safety standpoint, I can totally understand why they did it,” Horner continued. “Strategically, it may not have been the best strategy for this race, with two stops and tire deg. But it was a different race and it tested the strategists in a different way. “We know the maximum stint length for each car, so it’s more predictable. “So the important thing for us was to manage the safety car risks and hazards within the last 10 laps. In order to provide the best tires possible for the drivers behind us, we took the best strategy to ensure coverage in case the drivers behind us made a free stop. He worked his way back up to 10th place, but in the process received three five-second penalties for violating course limits, which he believes “diluted” his chances of achieving the 18-lap stint.
2023-10-16 04:39:16
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