Race strategy analysis: Ferrari’s gamble pays off at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve | 2023 Canada GP. Ferrari's gamble pays off at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The 70 laps of the 2023 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix race featured various strategies. The rain on Saturday certainly made tire management more complex due to the completely green track surface. Observing the race, the tire performance was excellent, with the yellow compound exceeding performance expectations. Let’s see how the teams interpreted the Canadian GP in the analysis of race strategies during the 70 laps of the Canadian Grand Prix at the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal

Great move by Ferrari in their strategy

At the start, 16 out of 20 drivers began the Grand Prix with the medium compound (C4), following the manufacturer’s advice. Pierre Gasly was the outsider at the start, opting for the C5 compound, hoping for an advantage in the early stages of the race. Ferrari made a great race read, confirming the good race pace shown during the second free practice session.

The two Ferrari cars started with the yellow tire and managed the C4 compound optimally, covering over half the race distance on this compound. In fact, they proved to be the kindest to the tires, maintaining a good and consistent pace with 38 and 39 laps completed by Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, respectively. It’s a pity they started in the middle of the pack, losing precious time and depriving them of the fight for the podium. The crucial phase for the Maranello team came shortly after the halfway point, where the second pit stops were expected in some of the recommended strategies. Here, the Ferrari strategists didn’t panic and waited for Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez to pit before calling their drivers to the box.

Outside of Ferrari, the majority of drivers in the field made their first pit stop at the entrance of the Safety Car triggered by George Russell (lap 12). During the second stint, several drivers struggled to get the hard tires working properly. Even Max Verstappen mentioned this in interviews after the podium, citing some sliding due to the low temperatures compared to the second free practice session. Tire management was also excellent for Alex Albon, who, with his pit stop on lap 12, managed to finish in an impressive seventh place.

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