McLaren’s Performance and Pirelli’s Tire Strategy at the Belgian Grand Prix

McLaren put forth a solid performance in the qualifying rounds for the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix. Yet, the race ahead promises to be a bit of a mystery, particularly because Pirelli has stirred things up with some unexpected tire choices—something we haven’t seen since 2022.

Let’s take a closer look at the strategy for the Belgian Grand Prix.

What transpired at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix?

To understand what unfolded, one might need to think about a two-stop strategy.

Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, and Charles Leclerc—the three drivers who made it to the podium—started on medium tires, switched to hard, and embraced that two-stop approach. For instance, Hamilton made his first pit stop on lap 11, changed to hard tires, and then pitted again on lap 26, powering through the remaining laps in a race consisting of 44 laps, looking for fresher hard tires.

But interestingly, Hamilton finished behind his teammate, George Russell. Russell, who kicked off from P6 with medium tires, also pitted after 10 laps for hard tires. He managed to stay ahead, utilizing his worn out hard tires strategically to cross the finish line first.

Yet, Russell faced disqualification due to his car not meeting the minimum weight requirement, which could relate back to his tire strategy. The Spa, over 7 kilometers long, is notorious for its unique challenges. After the checkered flag, drivers quickly pull off the racing line to stop.

This situation left Russell unable to gather any extra rubber during the lap, causing him to fall 1.5 kilograms below the weight limit.

This disqualification shifted Russell from first place, elevating Hamilton to victory.

It’s worth noting Russell wasn’t the sole driver using a one-stop strategy within the top ten. Fernando Alonso also started on medium tires, pitted on lap 13 for hard tires, completed the race, and eventually finished ninth. With Russell’s disqualification, he was bumped up to P8.

Pirelli’s Tire Strategy: What’s on the Table?

Last year, Pirelli had designated C2 as hard, C3 as medium, and C4 as soft tires.

Now, here comes the twist.

The C3 and C4 will be back in 2025, yet Pirelli made a change on the other end, offering C1 as the hard compound this year. This is the first time since the 2022 Australian Grand Prix that teams have faced a non-continuous tire selection.

Pirelli explained that this setup aims to make the two-stop strategy more competitive.

But how will that play out on race day?

Understanding the Tire Strategy for the Belgian Grand Prix

Pirelli suggests that a two-stop strategy should still be the preferred method.

Well, perhaps just slightly.

Mario Isola, a key figure at Pirelli Motorsport, mentioned, “If it’s a dry race with significantly lower track temperatures, soft and medium compounds will be the top performers.” He added that while there isn’t a huge difference between one and two stops, combinations of soft and medium tires could work. But bringing harder tires may not necessarily have been a misstep.

There’s a consideration here: overtaking is notoriously difficult at this track, as noted in various F1, F2, and F3 races.

According to Pirelli’s simulations, the fastest way to the checkered flag generally involves a two-stop strategy with soft tires combined with two stints on mediums. However, there’s room for flexibility. Drivers might consider starting on soft tires and adjusting their stints as the race unfolds.

Teams might opt to use fresh soft tires right away or, if conditions change, save them for later.

What to Anticipate Weather-wise at the Belgian Grand Prix?

Now, here’s another layer to the story.

There’s a possibility of a wet race in Belgium.

Current forecasts indicate that rain may develop on Sunday, where it began early in the day. While it’s predicted to ease somewhat, there’s still a 72% chance of rain around 3 PM—right as the race is set to start.

This unpredictable weather could add yet another twist when the Belgian Grand Prix kicks off.

“In terms of strategies, rain predictions should be a primary factor. It opens up various hypothetical scenarios,” one might think.

“Sure, the race might start dry. However, if rain becomes a threat, then using medium tires could be a strategic ally, allowing for easy transitions to wet tires or lengthening the first stint as much as possible,” they’d postulate.