Mclaren Alonso strategy, avoidable?
Discussion
Alonson has blamed the deployment of the safety car for ruining his chances of a good showing in Canada, as the first deployment of the safety car coincided with his first stop meaning that he broke the (new for 2007) rules on pitting with the safety car on track. To me this is avoidable and is something that was done for a couple of years.
Everyone knows that the new rule states that a driver cannot pit on the first lap of a safety car deployment as they close the pitlane, so why do the teams not think about this when planning their pit stops, and plan the pit stop with at least 1 lap of fuel still in the car, therefore if the safety car comes out on the planned pit stop lap then they will have enough fuel to carry on for one lap and pit when they are allowed due to the new rule. This was calculated into pit/fuel strategies a couple of years ago when they had the 1 tyre for the race rule, where if you needed to change a tyre due to a puncture and were not allowed to fuel at the same time, therefore the teams had at least 1 lap lee way in their pit window JUST IN CASE a puncture came on their fuel in lap.
So for Alonso to blame the safety car is more an excuse for the team not factoring the possible safety car periods into their strategy, especially when the chance of a saftey car is so high in Canada.
These are just my thoughts on this matter, someone may rip it to threads, but its what i thought as i watched the race.
Everyone knows that the new rule states that a driver cannot pit on the first lap of a safety car deployment as they close the pitlane, so why do the teams not think about this when planning their pit stops, and plan the pit stop with at least 1 lap of fuel still in the car, therefore if the safety car comes out on the planned pit stop lap then they will have enough fuel to carry on for one lap and pit when they are allowed due to the new rule. This was calculated into pit/fuel strategies a couple of years ago when they had the 1 tyre for the race rule, where if you needed to change a tyre due to a puncture and were not allowed to fuel at the same time, therefore the teams had at least 1 lap lee way in their pit window JUST IN CASE a puncture came on their fuel in lap.
So for Alonso to blame the safety car is more an excuse for the team not factoring the possible safety car periods into their strategy, especially when the chance of a saftey car is so high in Canada.
These are just my thoughts on this matter, someone may rip it to threads, but its what i thought as i watched the race.
I agree with you on the 1 lap of fuel as a margin - but would have thought the teams would allow a bit of extra in the tank anyway??
But as for Alonso saying the safet car ruined his race, as far as I could see the only thing that ruined Alonso's races was we - Alonso!
The move at the first corner was never going to work - and as a double world Cham and someone whose raced that circuit for a few times he would have realised it.
Alonso looked distinctly average - and I think he's feeling the pressure from Hamilton. As they say the Championship is Alonso's to loose......
Just my thoughts anyway.
Chris
But as for Alonso saying the safet car ruined his race, as far as I could see the only thing that ruined Alonso's races was we - Alonso!
The move at the first corner was never going to work - and as a double world Cham and someone whose raced that circuit for a few times he would have realised it.
Alonso looked distinctly average - and I think he's feeling the pressure from Hamilton. As they say the Championship is Alonso's to loose......
Just my thoughts anyway.
Chris
Woody said:
But as for Alonso saying the safet car ruined his race, as far as I could see the only thing that ruined Alonso's races was we - Alonso!
The move at the first corner was never going to work - and as a double world Cham and someone whose raced that circuit for a few times he would have realised it.
Alonso looked distinctly average - and I think he's feeling the pressure from Hamilton. As they say the Championship is Alonso's to loose......
Just my thoughts anyway.
Chris
The move at the first corner was never going to work - and as a double world Cham and someone whose raced that circuit for a few times he would have realised it.
Alonso looked distinctly average - and I think he's feeling the pressure from Hamilton. As they say the Championship is Alonso's to loose......
Just my thoughts anyway.
Chris
yep, I felt that, only himself to blame. He may have lost a few places from the stop/go, but he made so many mistakes as did most others!...How brilliant was SATO WooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooThe problem is that it isn't just one lap you follow the safety car until the pit lane opens its several, and the way F1 is these days the extra fuel to allow for such eventualities its too much of a performance disadvantage, hence running so tight on fuel is a risk they have to take.
Regards
Iain
Regards
Iain
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff