When the Safety Car came out at Silverstone in last weekend’s British Grand Prix, many chose the “free” pit stop, but Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz was not among them. In a team radio conversation with his Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami, they decided to stay out on track.
To pit stop or not to pit stop? That is the dilemma. During lap 35 of the 2023 Formula 1 British Grand Prix, the Safety Car was deployed to allow the marshals to remove the retired Haas car of Kevin Magnussen. At this moment, Carlos Sainz (along with, for example, the two McLarens) decided to stay out on track.
The strategy chosen by Ferrari probably didn’t change the outcome of Carlos Sainz’s race, neither positively nor negatively, but it’s interesting to observe the developments of this decision. The communication between Carlos Sainz’s engineer, Riccardo Adami, and the Spanish driver is intense.
“In case the Safety Car comes out, if we pit, we’ll lose three positions,” Riccardo Adami reports just before the SC is deployed. “What do you think about staying out with these tires?” he asks the Spaniard.
The driver agrees: “I think we should stay out, we should stay out,” he replies while navigating the second sector under Virtual Safety Car, which is immediately converted into a Safety Car after this communication.
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Carlos Sainz then asks for more information: “Tell me the positions behind us, and I’ll tell you if it’s worth losing those positions.”
Riccardo Adami begins to report the names of those following Ferrari #55, at that moment a train of cars formed by Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly. Carlos Sainz interrupts him immediately: “Tell me the positions and the tires they’re on! Quick, Ricky, quick!” he exclaims as he enters the third sector.
The heated communication resolves when Carlos Sainz is about to pass in front of the pit lane entrance. The driver leaves the decision in the hands of the engineer: “It’s your choice, it’s your choice.”
Riccardo Adami then has no doubts and reaffirms what was decided under VSC: “Stay out, stay out.”
Upon the restart, Carlos Sainz will find himself struggling, especially when being attacked by Sergio Perez, which forces him – due to his own mistake – to not only lose position to Checo but also to Alex Albon and his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc. Most likely, the strategic choice didn’t have a significant impact on the final outcome of the race, which, as admitted by the drivers, was determined by the car’s pace. Would you have made the pit stop?
Source: f1ingenerale
