F1 teams thrown strategy curveball ahead of Azerbaijan GP

F1 teams could be pushed towards a two-stop strategy at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, according to Pirelli. The sport's tyre supplier is bringing its softest range to the Baku event, with the C4, C5 and C6 compounds available for the weekend. It marks the fourth time this year that the C6 has been in use following its  Imola, Monaco and Montreal. Pirelli detailed that bringing the same allocation as 2024, which was a step softer, would have resulted in a predictable one-stop strategy. “On a street circuit with low levels of grip and wear, bringing the same selection as in 2024 would inevitably have led to a one-stop strategy,” stated the Italian marque. “At least this way, considering that this year’s range suffers much less from graining, it opens up the possibility of a two-stop strategy.” However, Pirelli has acknowledged teams have become efficient at managing their tyres, meaning a one-stop strategy is still possible. “Moreover, it is clear that this year, most recently at Monza, the teams and drivers have become adept at managing the tyres well, so that the race is unlikely to see very different strategies,” it said.  “Although it’s a street track, Baku has some very long straights where the cars hit very high top speeds, that place significant vertical loads on the tyres.”