Formula 1 News: Tire strategies and when will Verstappen pounce

It’s likely that Verstappen will let the Ferraris lead today’s Italian GP for a while to give the tifosi something to cheer about, and then he will pounce.

Pirelli has published what their data analysis predicts will be the best tire strategies for today’s Italian GP at Monza.

Here at AutoRacing1.com we have noted that Max Verstappen is running higher downforce wings than the low drag wings carried by the Ferraris.

This will result in the Ferraris sliding through the corners more and wearing out their tires faster than the ‘tire whisperer’ Verstappen.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks to the media in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on August 31, 2023 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

It’s likely that Verstappen will let the Ferraris lead for a while to give the tifosi something to cheer about, and then he will pounce.

Red Bull went for a race setup, Dr. Helmut Marko confirmed.

“We already knew Ferrari would be strong, we never really focused on pole position, looking at how we handled it with the set-up.”

“The adjustment for the race is a lot more important.”

Will Verstappen win his 10th race in a row, breaking his tie of nine with Sebastian Vettel?

Marko says Sebastian Vettel is not jealous of Verstappen beating his record:

“He sent me a message recently and said we should go for 12 wins in a row or something like that, so the record stays in our hands forever.”

“They are both great drivers, Verstappen and Vettel. It’s fantastic that we have had two such great drivers in our team. We greatly enjoy that.”

“I would say that Sebastian was more of a strategic worker. He delved into every detail. Max is more of a true racer, who tells the engineers what he wants from them, and then disappears again.”

“Sebastian had the advantage of having a better car at the beginning, which partly allowed him to win four championships from 2010 to 2013.”

“Max didn’t have that advantage initially, of course. Now you can see that he continues to improve, even after his first title in 2021. His performance in Zandvoort last week spoke volumes. Whether it was dry, raining, or something in between, he is so dominant.”

How do you think it will play out today?