The 2024 F1 season has seen a series of well-executed strategies throughout the year, with commendable race wins being earned as a result.
The Best Strategies in the 2024 F1 Season
It’s widely known that strategies are a fundamental part of a driver’s victory.
In most cases, a strategy can change a driver’s race for the better or worse in more than one way.
Bahrain GP
The first race of the 2024 F1 season saw Max Verstappen win with a controlled drive.
On Saturday night when the tyre blankets came off, it was revealed that all 20 drivers would be starting a predicted two-stop encounter on the Soft compound.
George Russell was the first of the front-runners to pit on Lap 12, swiftly followed by Leclerc.
However, Verstappen bided his time upfront and stretched out the initial Soft tyre stint for several more laps. On Lap 16 every driver apart from Verstappen had made their pitstop.
The Dutchman was left on his own in the lead, still expertly producing competitive times on his starting set. He then went into the pits for a set of Hard tyres on Lap 17.
The second rounds of pitstops saw the Red Bulls and Ricciardo interestingly going for Softs. The majority of the other drivers instead mounted the Hard rubber. In the end, Verstappen went through the chequered flag with 22 seconds ahead of Perez in second place.
During the race Red Bull perfectly executed the quickest strategy that Pirelli recommended. Thus earning a fantastic one-two for the team from Milton Keynes.
With Verstappen starting the race from pole, leading every lap, setting the fastest time and winning the race, he earned his fifth career Grand Slam.
Miami GP
Miami saw Lando Norris take his maiden win.
Norris ran sixth in the early stages, just behind the lead group formed by Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and Sergio Perez.
A Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Verstappen struck a bollard. Right after the VSC ended on Lap 23 Verstappen pitted. Instead of following him immediately, Norris stayed out on track.
On Lap 27, Norris had the chance to run in the lead. Soon after, a full Safety Car deployed playing brilliantly in the hands of Norris, as he got a free pit stop. The Brit put on the Hard tyres, and maintained the lead of the race.
As soon as the SC ended the McLaren racer was put under pressure by Verstappen and had to go defensive to keep his place as the head of the pack.
With 20 laps to go, Norris built a 2.5 gap from the Red Bull driver. The Briton kept this advantage throughout the final stages of the race until the chequered flag.
The best solution in terms of strategy was a start on the Mediums and pitting for the Hard tyre between Laps 15-21. Norris executed that brilliantly by extending his first stint and finally got his first win in F1.
READ MORE: What Did Lando Norris Teach Us in the 2024 Formula 1 Season?
Canadian GP
Canada was a race weekend with unpredictable conditions. Sunday morning, a round of heavy rain covered the venue, however, the rain halted shortly before the race.
Most of the drivers started the race with Intermediate tyres. Haas tried and made a different call by starting on the Wets, and it seemed to pay off when the rain started to pour again.
On Lap 15, Verstappen was putting pressure on Russell who was in the lead position. Both drivers hunted for wet patches to nurse their intermediate tyres.
After a couple of changes on track, Norris was in the lead, however, as Sargeant spun on track the Safety Car went out on track.
Verstappen took the chance to pit to put on a new set of Intermediates as the head of the front-runners. At the restart, Verstappen kept his lead over Russell.
On the next round of pit stops, Verstappen joined the majority of the field on slicks as he switched to medium rubber. On lap 47, Verstappen’s warmer tyres prevailed on Norris’ fresh Mediums. The Dutchman then brought his lead over the five-second mark.
His undercut proved to be very useful in terms of strategy in the middle of a chaotic race. Not only that, but the timing of each pitstop was perfect.
During one of the most confusing races of the 2024 F1 season, a clear and clean strategy gifted Verstappen his sixth victory of the season.
British GP
Silverstone saw Lewis Hamilton go back to his winning ways. Changing weather conditions and exciting battles, the British Grand Prix really had it all.
Everybody started on fresh Mediums, with Zhou Guanyu and Esteban Ocon the exceptions, on new Softs and Perez opting for new Hards. However, with a 60% chance of rain, the possibility of switching to intermediates could not be ruled out.
During the early stages of the race, the Mercedes drivers worked together to build a decent gap to Verstappen. Hamilton became the new race leader on Lap 18 after sweeping past Russell. By Lap 20 the picture had changed to a McLaren one-two.
After the sprays of rain on track increased, both Mercedes cars and Norris entered the pits to put on Intermediates.
On Lap 37 Hamilton reported a few rays of sunshine coming out. Subsequently, the Briton pitted for the Soft compound, Verstappen swapped to the Hard and Piastri went for the Medium.
Norris, meanwhile, stayed out on track for an extra lap before making a stop for the Softs.
It was the choice to pit before Norris that gave Hamilton the chance to win the Silverstone Grand Prix. This choice, paired with a slow pit stop for the McLaren driver, made sure that Hamilton stayed in the lead.
All his efforts paid off with his first victory of the 2024 F1 season.
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Italian GP
Monza was a dream for the Italian Tifosi. On Sunday the drivers were greeted by hot and sunny weather. However, the event’s risk of rain was predicted at 40%.
When the tyre blankets came off, it was confirmed that the majority of the field would start on the Medium compound.
Norris, who started the race on pole position, held off teammate Oscar Piastri and maintained the lead at the start. A few moments later, Piastri swept into the lead ahead of Norris. Leclerc then took advantage also to snatch a position from the latter McLaren, dropping Norris down into P3.
By Lap 14, Piastri had stretched out his lead to more than three seconds from Leclerc. Norris, meanwhile, opted to pit in an attempt to undercut the Monegasque driver. After taking on the Hard tyres, he emerged back on track in eighth place.
Soon afterwards, Leclerc responded by making his stop and found himself behind Norris in P7. After his pitstop on Lap 17, Piastri emerged again in the lead.
However, despite McLaren looking strong throughout the whole weekend it was Ferrari’s strategy that paid off. While both McLaren made their second pitstop Leclerc opted to stay out.
As the race was coming to an end, the tension rose for the Ferrari team as Piastri cut into Leclerc’s lead. Ultimately the gap was not coming down quickly enough for the McLaren man to close in and Leclerc managed to hold on to take an incredible win in front of the Tifosi.
Ultimately it was Ferrari’s bold decision to use a one-stop strategy that gave them an emotional win on home soil.
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