Pirelli believe that Red Bull's decision to run Medium tyres on the final stint contributed to Sergio Perez's victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. Following a decision to red flag the race due to Mick Schumacher's crash on Lap 24, Perez was able to hold on to the lead at the restart and ultimately take his first win of the season. Starting on the Medium tyres, the Mexican avoided losing a place to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the restart , despite a lock-up on the opening lap. Speaking after the race, Pirelli's Motorsport Director Mario Isola was of the opinion that the Medium compound decision was the right one, despite the need to look after the tyre during the stint. "Perez’s decision to use the Medium for the final stint helped him to seal the race victory, ahead of Carlos Sainz on the Hard, although Perez also had to manage his tyres in the closing stages," said Isola.
Isola: Strategy decisions critical at unforgiving Monaco GP
Isola added that the mixed weather and track conditions altered what would have been a "straightforward" race strategy. The Monaco Grand Prix has typically seen most drivers take a one-stop strategy, with teams heavily favouring track position over ultimate pace. The most notable quandary for teams was deciding between staying out on full wets and switching straight to slicks, or whether to make the step to Intermediates first. Isola believed that the exceptionally low-grip conditions of the tarmac was a bigger factor than tyre temperatures. "The changing weather after two days of sunshine added a number of complications to what should otherwise have been a reasonably straightforward race strategy," he explained. "The decision about when to get off the full wet tyre and which tyre to put on next was absolutely critical, on very slippery street asphalt that clearly affected the crossover point, rather than temperatures. "Added to this were a number of unforeseeable factors such as the Safety Car and red flag, which required yet more immediate decisions – influenced also of course by which tyres the drivers had available to them." "Every tyre in our Formula 1 range was used during this race, with all performing well despite a completely unknown set of conditions and crossover points on the tightest and most unforgiving track of the season.”
Most read
