The Spanish Grand Prix is unlikely to follow other Formula 1 races in having a one-stop strategy this season. The high-speed and rough track surface at Barcelona, combined with the hard tyre option available to drivers, has made it difficult for teams to achieve optimal performance.
Pirelli’s push to encourage two-stop strategies hasn’t been as successful as expected, despite Bahrain being the only exception influenced by external factors like weather or safety cars. The main reason for this is that even the hardest compound options are struggling to work effectively with a single tyre change.
The track layout at Barcelona presents a unique challenge, requiring teams to balance the need to protect the rear tyres while also providing grip through high-speed corners, particularly Turn 3. However, finding a compromise between these competing demands has proven difficult, especially with the hard C1 compound offering little grip.
Pirelli’s chief engineer, Simone Berra, notes that teams are struggling to find a balance due to the low grip and sliding issues presented by the C1 tyre. This makes it harder for drivers to manage both the front left and rear axles effectively.
As Pirelli focuses on studying degradation levels of the C2 and C3 tyres, which won’t last long enough for a one-stop strategy, teams are turning their attention to varying their strategies. The data suggests that a two-stop approach is likely, with the ideal strategy potentially involving a soft-medium-soft combination.
According to Berra, the pace difference between the C2 and C3 tyres is around 0.6-0.7 seconds, making strategy planning crucial for teams. However, he believes that frontrunners may adopt a similar strategy as last year, starting with a soft compound for extra grip at the start, followed by a medium compound to manage the middle stint, and finally returning to a soft compound with low fuel load towards the end of the race.
Source: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/disconnected-tyre-should-force-spanish-gp-strategy-variety