Fuel-Only Pit Stop Strategy

shiny side up! · 1 Mar 2005, 15:21 (Ref:1239124)

What is going to happen to race strategy in 2005 with pitstops being (under normal circumstances) fuel-only? I suppose there could be less stops, since the tire degradation's effect on lap times should be similar for all teams, but perhaps the weight of additional fuel would be enough to slow lap times significantly and still result in 2 or 3 stop races...

I guess carrying more fuel would also be harder on the tires, and if there is a significant drop off in performance after the first few laps, maybe some teams will start on low tanks to take advantage of the initial tire performance. Then again, maybe the tires will be best at the end of their lives when the grooves are all but gone. Are we going to see more protests over tires as a result?

Anybody have any ideas about what to expect?

Conjecture is, of course, going to dominate this discussion...

**Adam43** · 1 Mar 2005, 15:28 (Ref:1239134)

My guess is that whereas we saw 2 or 3 stops as the norm last year it will be 1 or 2 stops. A lot of the gain came from stopping more came from being able to run a light fuel loads rather than new tyres. In addition a light fuel load helps preserve the tyres.

As for tyres being better at the end of their lives? Well were they last year (even though the life was less)? A similar situation continues. It was (very) rare someone ran longer stints because the tyres were better at the end.

Sodemo · 1 Mar 2005, 15:39 (Ref:1239143)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

As for tyres being better at the end of their lives? Well were they last year (even though the life was less)? A similar situation continues. It was (very) rare someone ran longer stints because the tyres were better at the end.

If memory serves, the only time this occured was in 1999 and 2000 when Bridgestone ran its super-hard tyres.
The teams found that the tyres actually got faster on some tracks the more laps they put on them...

GP Racer · 2 Mar 2005, 00:24 (Ref:1239590)

Without those eight tire changers coming out to the cars, the pit stops are really going to lose their visual drama. Watching all of those guys coming out to do their well rehearsed, well choreagraphed roles, was one of the more exciting things to watch during a race.

Have the tire changers lost there jobs, or have they been reassigned within the team?

Kicking-back · 2 Mar 2005, 00:30 (Ref:1239593)

The tyre changers all had other jobs in the team anyway

Marbot · 2 Mar 2005, 00:50 (Ref:1239606)

Has the pit lane speed limit changed this season?

I think it is now at 60kmh for practise sessions and 100kmh for qually and the race.

Can't remember what it was last season,could affect strategy.

BootsOntheSide · 2 Mar 2005, 11:52 (Ref:1239958)

The point that tyres will be worn out quicker by a car with more fuel is an important one, this degradation effect could be quite big. My expectation is that each race will see 1 or 2 less stops than before, but generally the tracks which saw more stops in the past still will.

Raglanparade · 2 Mar 2005, 12:14 (Ref:1239976)

I think you will find that at circuits such as Monza, there will only be 1 stop.

At Hungary, there will be two.

Are they going to enforce that a tyre should have the tread left on it at the end of a race ?

What is to stop Michelin or Bridgestone making a tyre that.. has a soft compound in the grooves, and has a hard compound as a slick.

It could wear through the grooves on the first 10 laps, and then operate as a slick tyre for the remaining of the grand prix.

Little has been said about the state the tyres have to be in at the end of the race to be within regulations.

**Adam43** · 2 Mar 2005, 12:38 (Ref:1240004)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonhill9884

Are they going to enforce that a tyre should have the tread left on it at the end of a race ?

The same way they did it before. Why didn't teams run a tyre that became a slick within six or seven laps last year? Nothing has changed here, except the distance.

As ususal the FIA will be looking for a performance gain if they go slick.

Quote:

Little has been said about the state the tyres have to be in at the end of the race to be within regulations.

Much has in this cynical world and a quick look in the regs reveals:

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIA

76) Wear of tyres :
The Championship will be contested on grooved tyres. The FIA reserve the right to introduce at any time a method of measuring remaining groove depth if performance appears to be enhanced by high wear or by the use of tyres which are worn so that the grooves are no longer visible.

This has worked since it was introduced and all we have is an increase in distance they should run.

sonic · 2 Mar 2005, 13:56 (Ref:1240067)

thinking about it, could we just end up with a fuel economising run at the start of races like they do in IRL?

as has been suggested here - running light you will save the tyres, and running econmically you will be able to run longer on fewer stops.

getting yourself in a position ready for a late race charge would be interesting to see.

Pingguest · 2 Mar 2005, 14:08 (Ref:1240080)

I expect that we are going to keep 3-pitstop-strategies. Teams don't want heavy loaded cars, and they still have to fuel up their car before the 2nd qualifying

If the FIA really wanted to decrease the amount of pitstop, it should had abolish the post-qualifying parc fermé regulations.

**Adam43** · 2 Mar 2005, 14:23 (Ref:1240100)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic

thinking about it, could we just end up with a fuel economising run at the start of races like they do in IRL?

Surely this is only because they try and capitialise on yellows and pace cars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic

as has been suggested here - running light you will save the tyres, and running econmically you will be able to run longer on fewer stops.

Can they really save that much (without) yellows to make the difference between a 1 and 2 stop race. I make that a running slow to improve your fuel effeciencey by 30% plus.
For it to be common place it would require teams to fill up fully and see how far they can go, something that would kill them in Q2.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pingguest

If the FIA really wanted to decrease the amount of pitstop, it should had abolish the post-qualifying parc fermé regulations.

I don't think that was one of their aims.

ActiveMS · 2 Mar 2005, 14:37 (Ref:1240111)

I think it is f1racing.net that has pictures of the wheel guys holding new tyre pressure gauges.....Mclaren team I think.

**Adam43** · 2 Mar 2005, 15:30 (Ref:1240158)

Yes, they could alter the pressure during pitstops to aid handling.

JeremySmith · 2 Mar 2005, 20:17 (Ref:1240388)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pingguest

I expect that we are going to keep 3-pitstop-strategies. Teams don't want heavy loaded cars, and they still have to fuel up their car before the 2nd qualifying

If the FIA really wanted to decrease the amount of pitstop, it should had abolish the post-qualifying parc fermé regulations.

Hello Pingguest! would you mind explaining these regulations to me...Thank you in advance

Marbot · 2 Mar 2005, 21:15 (Ref:1240465)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Hello Pingguest! would you mind explaining these regulations to me...Thank you in advance

After 1st qually which is run on low fuel(out lap,flying lap,in lap)the cars can be refuelled as much or as little as each team sees fit during parc ferme and before second qually.The teams are also allowed to adjust front wings and check fluids etc.They can also fit tyres that have done a greater distance if others are found to be damaged.

**Adam43** · 2 Mar 2005, 21:18 (Ref:1240471)

Is your name Pingguest?

Marbot · 2 Mar 2005, 21:21 (Ref:1240475)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

Is your name Pingguest?

Nope,but i think that i may as well spill the beans anyways.

JeremySmith · 3 Mar 2005, 00:56 (Ref:1240651)

Thank you Martyn...

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