Red Bull team boss Christian Horner would like to see races with one pit stop disappear from Formula 1. To make the races more exciting, Pirelli should provide softer tires.
“I always find one-stop races boring”, Horner said on Tuesday Motorsport. “We should always have two or three stoppers. That creates a mix in the race order and in the tactics.”
After the Grand Prix in Belgium (in which almost all drivers made only one pit stop) last weekend, Max Verstappen said he was trying to save the tires in 38 of the 44 laps, rather than competing with other drivers on the track. Lewis Hamilton led the entire race, while Valtteri Bottas (second) and Verstappen (third) never rode in any other position.
“During one-stop races, we mainly see drivers working on tire management. I would like to see more variety, so that different strategies come and teams choose a different set-up of the car,” said Horner.
The Red Bull team boss hopes that Pirelli will make softer compound tires available to the teams, instead of the hardest compound. That would lead to faster lap times, but also more pit stops.
––
–
–
Michael Masi. (Photo: ProShots)
Masi can remember plenty of thrilling one-stop races
Formula 1 race director Michael Masi does not entirely agree with Horner’s statements. “It’s a bit easy to say that boring races are caused by the number of pit stops. I can remember plenty of exciting one-stop races,” said the Australian.
“Just like there have been boring two-leg races and exciting two-leg races,” said Masi. “That said, I would like to emphasize that the FIA, together with Pirelli and Formula 1, is looking at the input provided by drivers. It is no secret that Pirelli works closely with all parties involved in Formula 1”
The eighth Grand Prix of the season is scheduled for this weekend in Monza, Italy.
– .
