How many stops in Valencia?

[jez101]

You know the drill by now. Can more than two of us get it right this time...?

You would hope so. Valencia is unlikely to be a wet race, which should make it much more predictable, but there are still huge unknowns: how long will the supersoft option tyre last and how much faster than the medium prime will it be? Who can get the primes to work vs who will kill their option tyres.

Overtaking is also a factor. Valencia has perhaps the worst record of all circuits in previous years, but will that change with DRS? Or, will DRS lead to accidents that bring out the safety car and change the strategy dynamic?

The place to debate these issues is of course the main thread, but please use this one to explain why you have chosen the number of stops you have. I have no idea what the prize will be this week - I'm sure I will think of something appropriate nearer the time. Like biscuits.

After Canada when drive throughs also counted as "stops", I should make clear that the same will apply to this competition, although anyone going for 6 stops on the basis that Lewis will win after three drive throughs is probably insane.

 

[Jru]

I've gone for three again (have to be right some time!) I think it is just the natural best tactic so far this season. I think that this race will be more towards Monaco than Canada in terms of number of stops i.e. 2 or 3. It is possible to overtake here unlike Monaco but it isnt easy. In hindsight I should have gone for 2. Damn!

 

[Brogan]

I've gone for 2 stops, which is 3 sets of tyres.

I really have nothing to base that on as the medium tyre which will be used is a new compound and was only tested at Canada last weekend in FP1 and FP2.

I'm usually wrong about these things so I would advise everyone else to choose anything but 2

 

[Hamberg]

17.

Why not, I haven't got a bloody clue what's going on in this sport anymore

 

[gethinceri]

The Canada race didn't tell us much about these tyres so I'm going with 3, chances are it'll be hot, only a couple of overtaking spots (?) so I think the winner will be doing whatever the others don't - and they'll be doing 2 stops.

 

[Galahad]

I've gone for 3. The track is below average on tyre wear, but the super-soft may well struggle to do >15 laps, particularly if it's warm. 3 stops allows you to minimise your time on the inferior medium compound - though that is obviously a big unknown.

 

[MCLS]

Im going with the crowd and gone for 3, due to the lack of rain wear being lower than tracks like Spain and Turkey.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

The crowd has been failing so far.... but then again Valencia is dull and boring and there are new harder medium option tyre wheel rubber things so I'm going for 2!

 

[RasputinLives]

I've gone for 4 as the majority have gone 3 which leads me to believe the majority of the field will go 3 which means something will try 4 and chase down the leader at the end and win.

unless the leader holds on in which case its going to be 2 or 1

or mabye 5

 

[jez101]

Certainly, the new medium tyre is going to play a big part in the eventual strategy chosen, so it is worth looking back to FP1 in Canada where these were tried. Most of the cars spent most of their time running the experimental rubber, switching only to the softs near the end.

The times seem to show the medium improving with laps, as most drivers are able to better their initial attempt as they have gone deeper into the run. Of course, the track was very dusty and drivers could just have been building up confidence but it may also have been true that they took a few laps to get tyres up to temperature, which is unlikely to be a problem in Valencia.

 

[Sarinaide]

I am going with 3 this time, 4 seems to excessive anywhere and the tyres are good enough to do two options and one prime stint with good performance.

I just hate when someone rains on my parade and does 3 prime and 1 option stint and does well.

 

[f1fansp]

I've gone for 4 as the majority have gone 3 which leads me to believe the majority of the field will go 3 which means something will try 4 and chase down the leader at the end and win.

unless the leader holds on in which case its going to be 2 or 1

or mabye 5

So, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5! Covering your bases.

I've gone for 3 as a blind guess, but I haven't got it right once so far.

 

[RasputinLives]

So, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5! Covering your bases.

knowing my luck it'll probably turn out to be 6

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Gonna with the majority and said 3. But this season it could be any number.
Never thought i'd see a driver pit 6 times and go on to win a GP before, but Button did it!

 

[gethinceri]

Gonna with the majority and said 3. But this season it could be any number.
Never thought i'd see a driver pit 6 times and go on to win a GP before, but Button did it!

Great drivers do great things.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Great drivers do great things.

Yep thats true.

 

[McZiderRed]

I've gone for two stops this time. The reason being that I went for the ludicrous option for Canada, so I'm being nice and conservative for Valencia.

 

[MCLS]

The simple answer is, who knows, we have as much chance of predicting the lottery numbers.

 

[Slyboogy]

Well stupid me went for 3 before reading the comments

It was between 3 or 4 and the majority went for 3...sadly I can't change to 4

 

[Fenderman]

I'm with Sly. Three and a half.