P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 should finally get a natural two-stop race at the Spanish GP as teams cannot get one of the tyre options to work
The Spanish Grand Prix is likely to forego the trend of one-stop races seen in other Formula 1 events this season, owing to the fast and rough track surface and the ineffective hard tire option. Despite efforts by Pirelli to encourage two-stop strategies, only the Bahrain GP saw a two-stop race without external influences like weather or safety cars. The track at Barcelona presents challenges that make it impossible to cover the race distance with just one tire change, due to the demanding corners and ineffective hardest compound tire C1. Teams struggle to find a balance between protecting rear tire temperatures and maintaining grip at high-load corners.
The C1 tire’s lack of grip and balance issues make it difficult for teams to optimize performance, leading to disconnect between front and rear axles. With the C1 tire likely being ruled out for the race, teams are focusing on understanding the degradation levels of the C2 and C3 compounds, which are expected to necessitate a two-stop strategy. Tire degradation is significant at Barcelona, but manageable, with the C2 and C3 showing similar pace but different grip levels and degradation characteristics. Pirelli estimates a pace difference of 0.6–0.7 seconds between the C2 and C3 compounds, with strategy variations possible based on car balance.
