Pit Stop strategies

[thejester]

Team GB, and I'm sure many of the teams, noted the successful startegy of Team NZ at Brands Hatch - when starting from the back, pit on the first available lap.

It seemed a popular choice at Lausitz, and I can see it becoming more popular. It makes sense, unless you have clear air and speed at the front, to pit when the other cars are as bunched as possible. I haven't noticed a significant tyre degradation issue on the teams racing almost the full distance on one set either.

Can we expect to see half the grid trundling in on lap 2 in the future?

Not sure if this is a good or bad thing...

[Kicking-back]

A mix of strategies will work, which is good.

[Mr Jinxx]

I'm surprised at the apparent lack of tyre degradation. The tyres are obviously good for a couple of laps, hence maximising them in qualifying, but after that they seem relatively constant. The pit stops, so far, seem to have turned a race into a bit of a lottery (farce, others have called it) instead of a tactical element in the race. There must be a reason why 90% of teams spent hours in the pits, trying to correct sticking wheel nuts. I question why pit stops are mandatory, if the cars are designed to allow overtaking ... whilst being desperately partisan and applauding team GBR for a good strategy in bringing our car in after just one lap, giving us clear air to circulate until the others all came in and got stuck in the pits, I'd prefer to see racing.

If there are to be mandatory pitstops, it would be so much better to see tyres that will only last for roughly 2/3 of the race. Soften the compound. Then, if you decide to pit early, you know your tyres will be shot at the end, and you'll have to do a Gilles Villeneuve. And the sticking wheel nut problem has to be cured. Sure, we have the best team in terms of pit stops, but it is a bit daft for teams to lose MINUTES in the pit stops with all these problems.

[maltafan]

It was the first race I saw since I missed the UK race. I was quite negatively surprised to see all that wast of time trying to put the wheel nuts back in palce. And the need to change your machinery to do so makes the thing even worse.

Re the tyres, I do not think that there should be a pit stop since if the tyres last for a whole race, so I agree with you about softening the compound.

On a positive note I was glad to see some overtakings.

[cos]

I agree - no point in having pit-stops if there's no need. According to Pitpass, "arses are being kicked" over the pit equipment issues, so hopefully that'll be fixed by Portugal!

[courageous]

Originally Posted by maltafan

Re the tyres, I do not think that there should be a pit stop since if the tyres last for a whole race, so I agree with you about softening the compound.

To be fair, I think it's more important to make sure a tyre won't explode (especially given the F1 farce at Indy) - imagine what we all would have said if the tyres were too soft.
It's a control tyre, so they are conservitive

[Kicking-back]

Sheik Maktoum says arses are being kicked over the wheel nut issue

[maltafan]

Originally Posted by courageous

To be fair, I think it's more important to make sure a tyre won't explode (especially given the F1 farce at Indy) - imagine what we all would have said if the tyres were too soft.
It's a control tyre, so they are conservitive

Of course, safety must come first. But I see no reason that a pit stop ha to be effected when there is no need for it, especially when teams are having problems with the tyre changes.

[thejester]

It reminds me of those very junior formulae where a pit stop involves coming to rest and having a velcro tab torn of the rear wing endplate.

I guess it's because it makes for exciting television, basically. Having minimal crew is aiming to create drama and maximise pitlane overtaking opportunity. Obviously they weren't looking for it to be to the extreme it has been.

It's a demonstration of team skill.

[Nicholosophy]

Originally Posted by thejester

It reminds me of those very junior formulae where a pit stop involves coming to rest and having a velcro tab torn of the rear wing endplate.

I guess it's because it makes for exciting television, basically. Having minimal crew is aiming to create drama and maximise pitlane overtaking opportunity. Obviously they weren't looking for it to be to the extreme it has been.

It's a demonstration of team skill.

You also have to remember that this is a team-based series. I think the idea is to ensure that the whole team is involved in getting the car over the line first. The idea of having limited team members could be for safety, or to ensure that it is all a control situation. Control car, control fuel, control tyres, control number of pit team. Comes down to the quality of the pit team and the driver.

I don't think you can say that the current problems are down to the team skill though - looking forward to that getting fixed up.

[bradrive]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Sheik Maktoum says arses are being kicked over the wheel nut issue

The wheelnut issue is well known to people who worked in FiaF3000 in 2003/2004. The hub/wheelnut assembly is very much similar in A1GP as it was in FiaF3000. The nut problem is threefold. 1) Tolerances in the nutthread, 2) the need to be perfectly coaxially with the pistol due to the design of the assembly and 3) the design of the pistol socket.
At the current stage you can only improve on point 2. There it is down to training and capacity of the mechanic. All the teams that worked in F3000 have a distinctive advantage.