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McLaren chassis chief Tim Goss is expecting to see two-stop strategies this year in Formula 1. Pirelli will be introducing two new compounds for the 2018 season, with each compound a step softer than the 2017 specs.
Most races throughout the 2017 season featured one-stop races after Pirelli changed up the tyres amid a shift in aerodynamic regulations. The tyres were designed to last longer and be more durable to allow drivers to push harder for a longer period of time.
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However, most races then became simple and predictable one-stops, leading Pirelli to rethink its ideas for 2018. A new hyper soft tyre will be used, as well as a fresh super hard compound. Goss admits that more will be learned about the new tyres as the season wears on.
"They’ve released compound choices for the early races, we’ve looked at that and I think our opinion is that there will be an increase in tyre grip. That could be half a second to a second a lap, something like that, and there will be more bias to two-stop races than previously," Goss said.
"We still think it will be a mix of one- and two-stop races, but biased more to two-stop races, so I think moving sensibly in the right direction. We’ve got to learn about the tyres. We obviously tested them in Abu Dhabi so it’s one circuit in fairly hot conditions, we’ve got to learn more about those tyres at different circuits.
"The gaps in terms of compound performance aren’t necessarily all even. There’s sort of a bit of a bigger gap there and then two tyres that are closer together, that’s certainly what we’ve found. But I think generally Pirelli have done a great job at listening and moving in the right direction."
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