2021 British GP Raceday Update by James Punt
2021 British GP Raceday Update
Check out James Punt’s 2021 British GP Raceday preview below.
The Sprint race qualifier was moderately exciting for the first few laps, but it gave us some solid pointers for today’s race.
The Red Bull of Verstappen got by far the better start off the line and was never in any trouble after that. Hamilton said that there was nothing he could do to catch Verstappen and that was that. The two cars are set up differently for this weekend. The Mercedes is faster on the straights, the Red Bull faster in the corners. So long as Verstappen is in the lead, it is hard to see how Mercedes can get past him. Being faster in the corners is giving Red Bull the quicker lap time and Verstappen should be able to open a gap outside of DRS range and then just try and manage the tyres from there.
The tyres are going to play a big part today. Even the medium tyres were blistering by lap 12 in the sprint race. When you think that the cars were carrying much less fuel than they will today, and the temperatures are going to be even higher this afternoon, the tyres are going to suffer.
Two Stop Strategy Likely For Most
Last year saw tyre failures in the British GP. Even these new constructions are under extreme loads and temperatures. A two stop race looks likely for most but no doubt there will be a few who will try for a one stopper.
Things are a little different today as all 20 drivers have a free choice of which tyre compound they will start on. They will still have to make at least one stop to use a second compound.
Verstappen is in a good position as he has one brand new set of hard tyres and two new sets of the mediums. Hamilton has one new set of hards and one new set of mediums. The most likely strategy for the leaders will be to start on the mediums and pit around 20-25 laps later, switching to the hards for an attempted run to the end. Personally, I think it will be very hard to get these tyres to last long enough to make a one stopper viable. It can be done but only if you drive slow enough and at the front you would expect drivers to be pushing on.
One Stopper For Perez?
Somebody like Perez, in a fast car but starting right at the back will run a one stopper, having the pace to pass slower cars while still nursing his tyres. A hard – medium strategy will help him move up into the points. We have also seen Aston Martin pull off good races by running a long first stint on a harder compound.
They have a tyre expert in their team who is especially good at knowing how to pull that trick off. However, they have no new hard tyres and no new medium tyres. They are the only team not to have new hard tyres. That suggests that they might just have run them more in practice to gather more data.
There are a number of drivers with new sets of the soft tyre. This is not a good tyre for racing as they do not last very long. However, an alternative strategy would be to start on a new set of soft tyres and have the pace to overtake, which we saw Alonso do in the sprint race to good effect. We also saw him dropping back in the dying laps as the tyres gave up.
So, a soft – hard strategy might be possible but it would be a very long stint on the hards. Starting on softs could work very well if we get an early safety car, and you just never know, but clearly there are many different strategies on offer today.
Pirelli are confident that this will be a one lap race, but they said that last year. Whatever strategies are used, the teams will have various plans to cover all contingencies.
2021 British GP Raceday Update: Early Laps Crucial
Yesterdays mini race hinted at what we will see today. The very important opening lap or two, then field spread, holding station, looking after the tyres. Then the pit stop and more tyre management and waiting to see whether they tyres will last till the end, or if a second stop is needed. Watching the first two laps, popping out to enjoy the sun for an hour or so and then coming back to watch the last ten laps, might be the ideal way to watch the race. The exciting bits are going to be at the very start and in the dying laps.
The race is Verstappen’s to lose, but it is not a forgone conclusion. Mercedes have closed the gap. If Hamilton reverses the outcome of yesterdays start, he will be hard to beat. But, a good start for Verstappen and he controls the race. He will be handicapped by not having Perez in the mix and strategically Mercedes has a bit more to play with.
Perez will start from the pitlane after the team withdrew him from the sprint race. That has allowed them to make changes to the car to optimise race performance. Expect him to make spectacular progress, so long as he does not bin it again. He is just 2.62 to finish in the top 6 which looks a bit short, given the pace of the McLarens, perhaps Leclerc hanging on, if the Ferrari doesn’t eat its tyres.
Aston Martin Interesting
Aston Martin are an interesting proposition. They have a car which is very kind on its tyres and that could be a huge asset today. This track, with it high speed corners, quick directional changes and scorching track temperatures, is going to stress the tyres to the limit, and perhaps beyond.
Lance Stroll has just not been on it all weekend and never faster than 14th in any session. Sebastian Vettel on the other hand has had top 10 pace from the start. If he can make a one stop strategy work, have good long first stint as we have seen them do in the past, he could make up some decent places if others struggle more with the tyres.
2021 British GP Raceday Tip: 1 point Sebastian Vettel to finish in the top 6 @ 5.00 with Unibet
The battle to be ‘best of the rest’ looks more open for this than in recent ones.
Ferrari have Charles Leclerc up in 4th place on the grid and he loves this track. Form figures of R/3/3/4 underline that. If the car doesn’t destroy its tyres like it did in France, he may even get a podium. However, if he is forced into a two stopper or just struggles for pace due to high tyre wear, that opens things up for the two McLaren’s. The sprint race weekend has helped Ricciardo a little and he starts in sixth place, one place behind his teammate Norris.
Lando Norris has been the main man at McLaren this season, helped by Ricciardo’s struggles in qualifying it must be said. Ricciardo is in with a chance to be the man today and he usually goes pretty well at Silverstone. He looks to be a bit of value to finish as winning driver without the big four.
2021 British GP Raceday Tip: 1 point Daniel Ricciardo to be the winning driver without the big four @ 7.00 with Ladbrokes
Kimi Raikkonen starts a season best 13th on the grid and the sprint race did indeed help him. He has made up 3.54 places in races compared to his starting position. He might just nick his third points finish of the season.
2021 British GP Raceday Tip: 1 point Kimi Raikkonen to finish in the points @ 3.75 with William Hill, BET365
-JamesPunt