Christian Horner says pole sitting not as important as race strategy on Pirelli – Formula 1
Red Bull Racing team boss, Christian Horner, has said that the fastest laps in the Qualifiers are becoming less important compared to the race strategy on Pirelli tyres. Horner commented that Mark Webber’s performance in the Chinese Grand Prix has changed
the team’s mentality about Qualifiers.
Horner said, “Mark's race demonstrates that, given the marked difference between new and used tyres [Pirelli] and the greater ability to overtake, qualifying position is not as crucial. With a few more laps (in China) Mark would have won, and with a few
laps less Sebastian [Vettel] would have won from pole.”
Chinese Grand Prix saw some of the best performances of the drivers, especially Mark Webber in his RB7. The Red Bull team opted to go for hard compound Pirelli tyres on Webber’s car and soft on Vettel’s car. The Australian failed to qualify for Q2 and placed
himself in the lower ranks with an 18th grid position. His team-mate, Vettel, was having a very good day because he was again the fastest driver and completed a hat-trick of pole positions for the 2011 season.
Webber was upset about the team’s strategy and started the race in no hope of a podium finish. As soon as the Chinese Grand Prix moved into its final phase, Webber became the man to watch out for. He over took 15 cars to climb to the lowest step of the podium,
while Vettel struggled in the later part of the race to keep up with the thunderous McLaren of Lewis Hamilton. Vettel lost his place to Hamilton in the last couple of laps.
Initially, Webber had said that if a driver had a full set of tyres left, it did not matter from where he started the race because he could have a better chance of a podium finish on fresh Pirelli tyres.
Now, Horner is also thinking about changing strategy for the Qualifiers and race, but he stated that, “We will have to see, race by race, what will be the right approach.”
Nevertheless, the Red Bull team are on top of their game and will strike back in Turkey to reclaim their supremacy from McLaren.
Tags: