Dry-wet-dry was the weather pattern for the British Grand Prix, with teams having to adapt their strategies to very variable and uncertain conditions. The key points of the Silverstone race from a strategy analysis perspective were three: switching from slicks to intermediates, returning to slicks, and, at the same time, choosing the right compound. Let’s review the different phases of the British Grand Prix.
FIRST PART: Switching from slicks to intermediates
Despite an unexpected rain shower about three-quarters of an hour before the start, the race began on a dry track, with all teams on slick tires. The most popular compound by far was the medium, except for Esteban Ocon and Zhou, who diversified by choosing the soft, and Sergio Perez, who chose the hard. Although Pirelli indicated that the soft was the best tire to start on in a dry race, the chances of rain likely led teams to prefer a more durable compound, in case a later stop was necessary.
After about ten laps, there was the first light rain, followed by a more substantial downpour around lap 18. This heavier rain prompted four drivers to pit, including Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, who were clearly looking for a wild card to climb up the rankings. However, this decision proved too hasty in hindsight, as the rain stopped shortly thereafter. The longer-lasting rain that the teams were waiting for arrived almost ten laps later. Meanwhile, those who had already pitted found themselves running on intermediates on a dry track, wearing out the wet-weather grooves. As a result, when the real wet phase of the race arrived, these drivers had to change tires again, making one more stop than their competitors.
At that point, pit stops to switch to intermediates were all made between laps 26 and 28. Taking the initiative paid off, as those who pitted first gained time over those who hesitated for a couple of laps. Among the top teams, Ferrari with Carlos Sainz and Red Bull with Max Verstappen were notably quick to react.
SECOND PART: Returning to slicks, which compound?
With the rain ending about twenty laps from the finish, the key issue became the crossover time to switch from intermediates back to slicks. This change was not straightforward, as the final sector was slow to dry, resulting in highly variable grip conditions throughout the lap. Consequently, teams once again relied heavily on the drivers’ sensitivity. The window in which everyone pitted was just two laps, from lap 37 to 39. In this case, it was the teams at the back of the grid that took the initiative, while the front-runners preferred to wait at least one lap to get a reference.
A differentiating factor was also the compound chosen for the final part of the race. Half the grid opted for the soft, six drivers for the medium, and two for the hard. In this instance, no choice, despite the wide variety, proved to be extremely wrong, as the entire range of Pirelli tires performed well. For example, looking at the leading drivers, Hamilton won with the soft, Verstappen was extremely fast on the hard, and the medium worked well for Oscar Piastri. Once again, the drivers’ feelings played a significant role. Some, given the few remaining laps, chose to rely on the extra grip provided by the soft, while others preferred the consistency of harder compounds.
Source: f1ingenerale
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