How Stroll and Alonso split strategies at Silverstone · RaceFans

Fernando Alonso said he had a “terrible race” at Silverstone after falling two places to finish ninth.

Among those who got ahead of him during the race was his team mate Lance Stroll. Alonso did not spare his team’s blushes as he challenged them over how his team mate got ahead, telling them it was “crazy how you never get it right with me.”

Afterwards Aston Martin pointed out they split their drivers’ strategies because of their different results in qualifying: Alonso started seventh, 10 places ahead of his team mate. So was Alonso’s criticism justified?

“Wet in the sector we spoke about”

As the cars prepared to leave the grid for their formation lap on a still-wet, Aston Martin told Stroll they wanted to keep running on their original set of intermediate tyres until more rain arrived. “If we can avoid putting a dry on in the middle, that will save us huge amounts of race time,” they told him.

Alonso was frustrated to learn the formation lap would take place behind the Safety Car. “That’s very bad,” he said, “they’re too slow.” The reduced pace would make it harder to warm up the intermediate tyres for the standing start.

Throughout the formation lap there was considerably less chatter on Alonso’s radio about the conditions. While other drivers debated with their engineers whether to take slick tyres, Alonso and Stroll never wavered from their decision to start the race on intermediates.

Soon after the race began a Virtual Safety Car period was triggered and their race engineers quizzed them on the track conditions:

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Lap: 2/52 STR: 2’15.927, ALO: 2’17.227 Gannon Copy. VSC, VSC, get plus, positive on delta time, just positive on delta time. It’s a double yellow between five and six, double yellow between five and six. When you can, strat 11, strat 11. So Lawson is stopped on the right-hand side, two-thirds of the way down this straight, it’s double yellow where Lawson is. What do you think about sector three track condition, Lance? Vizard It’s a VSC, VSC, so run switch Safety Car, keep it positive, no overtaking. How are the track conditions? Gannon We will have run switch Safety Car, run switch safety car. What do you think about sector three wet conditions? How wet? Alonso Wet in the sector we spoke about. Stroll It’s still very wet, man. Vizard Copy. Gannon Yeah, that’s what we see, that why we ask, and then the rest of it is getting dry obviously. Gannon There’s five cars in the back on dry tyres, just for info, and they will have a really hard time on the restart. Rain coming in 15 minutes, heavy rain in 20 minutes. 10 laps to the start of the rain, 10 laps. And right now we will stay out, stay out. Still VSC. Just try and keep up tyre temp, keep the tyre temp you have. Lap: 3/52 STR: 1’46.197, ALO: 1’45.678 Gannon Still double yellow on this straight. Vizard Fernando we’ll just take another update on track conditions. Any change? Gannon Can go out two now for front temp. We think we’re not far off on the restart. For the restart we’ll use race two when it comes. We’re good on energy, plenty of energy. Alonso They’re getting drier, but last sector is still very wet I think. Gannon We still think like nine laps to rain, so I’m not sure if we’ll be able to make it to there or not on these inter, but we’ll see. VSC ending, VSC, ending. Lap: 4/52 STR: 1’51.895, ALO: 1’49.536 Gannon Safety Car window is open. Lance, look for damp patches, especially to help the rear-left. Damp patches when you can. Vizard This might not be too much longer, so just keep an eye out if you are doing. VSC ending so run switch race two. Vizard Light rain starting in eight laps but it might be 10 laps until heavier rain.

“Consider slicks”

Alonso moved up to sixth at the start, six places ahead of his team mate. Stroll told his race engineer to consider deviating from the team’s plan of making the intermediate tyres last until the rain arrived.

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Lap: 5/52 STR: 2’11.987, ALO: 2’16.643 Gannon Look for damp patches, damp patches. HPP on when you can. Vizard Yellow at turn nine, Bortoletto off-track inside, exit turn nine. Gannon Single yellow turn nine, single yellow, Bortoleto stopped, exit of turn nine I think on the right. Vizard It’s VSC, VSC. Run switch Safety Car, keep it positive, no overtaking. Fernando, so, feedback on conditions. Stroll Consider slicks. Gannon Dry runners are five seconds slower, so not quite crossover yet. VSC, VSC. Stroll It’s just the last sector. Gannon Yeah, I understood Lance. I think in this scenario, we’re thinking about it, so… Right now, if we pit, we’ll come out ahead of the other people who are already on dry in this current gap. Cool the tyres as much as you can, cool the tyres. So Lance, we’re thinking about taking the VSC, taking the tyre now, and then in six laps time when it rains more we’ll come back. But you’ll be ahead of all the dry runners right now and then you’ll make up a lot of race time.

“I think whatever you think”

Stroll left the decision of whether to take slick tyres up to his race engineer. When Alonso was asked about the conditions he prompted his race engineer for more information about what those already on slick tyres were doing. He stayed out, and Aston Martin updated him on Stroll’s progress on the next lap.

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Lap: 6/52 STR: 2’11.823, ALO: 2’02.063 Stroll What do we think about the last sector on our numbers? Alonso Same, getting drier and last sector wet, but there are people with dry tyres so you know better than me. What are they doing? Surely we will grain the tyres a lot soon. But I don’t know when the rain comes and all these kind of things. Gannon It is still just inter in last sector, so you would have to take care. So yellow turn nine. So yeah, what do you think? Vizard Using the wet patches for now. I’ll come back to you with a weather update. Stroll I think whatever you think. Vizard You’re now on lap six. We’ll have light rain in around… light rain around six laps and then four laps after that there’ll be heavier rain. Gannon Okay, yeah. Okay, well, we still have a few bits to decide here. Vizard Staying out, staying out. HPP on. Four laps ’til start of light rain. Maybe another four laps after that and will get heavier. Gannon We’re going to box now, Lance, box now. Box now, pit confirm, putting on softs. Lap: 7/52 STR: 2’11.823, ALO: 2’02.063 Gannon Okay, Lance, just be careful, slippery on the exit. You’re coming out way ahead. So you have to obey the delta time. Still VSC, still VSC. So make sure you’re plus, positive on the delta time, still VSC, you’re nine seconds behind the pack, and you’re nine seconds ahead of the other people on dry tyres. Okay, plus, positive on delta time, positive delta time please. Okay, that’s good, still VSC. VSC ending, VSC ending, don’t go early, get plus, positive on delta time, positive. Alonso At Aintree
Yeah, getting very dark here. Gannon We suggest axle four, axle four and just take care of sector three, your pace is good in the dry. DRS enabled. You’re much faster than those inter runners everywhere except for sector three. You are only losing two seconds. So you’re quicker overall. Very good. Vizard So Lance has just fitted a soft tyre. Feedback from his into: they were in good condition. Vizard VSC ending, Run switch race two. Lap: 8/52 STR: 1’43.353, ALO: 1’46.420 Gannon Vale
Still inter here, still inter here. Lap: 9/52 STR: 1’44.912, ALO: 1’47.569 Vizard Rain in a couple of laps, heavier rain in around five laps. Alonso Yeah, a lot of graining.

“Big rain coming”

When the rain returned, Stroll needed to pit more urgently than Alonso, and returned on lap 10. Alonso came in the next time by but his slow progress on worn intermediates meant Stroll took huge chunks of time out of his on his fresher rubber, and emerged ahead.

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Lap: 10/52 STR: 1’40.708, ALO: 1’48.951 Stroll [Unclear] Vizard Rain to start in the next lap, and then heavier rain a couple laps after that. It’ll be less than five minutes. Heavy rain, five minutes. Gannon Yeah copy that. We’re prepared to go back. Alonso Copy, copy. I don’t know if we will be out with these tyres. Gannon Box now Lance, box now Vizard Yeah, copy that. Stroll You’re sure? Alonso Rain in turn six and seven now. Turn eight. Gannon Yes box now, box big rain coming. Vizard Copy that. We’ll have to reduce diff mid. Alonso No I have rear graining, I’m happy with this diff. Lap: 11/52 STR: 2’06.264, ALO: 1’49.478 Gannon Stroll pits
Tyre white, inter R when you can. Tyre, white, inter R. Alonso does not pit
Raining more in four. Gannon Tyre white inter R. Tyre white inter R before we leave. Tyre white inter R. Tyre white inter R. Vizard Copy. Gannon Okay, Hulkenberg pit exit, Hulkenberg pit exit. Alonso Lower grip in six and seven. Very low grip. Gannon Axle five. It’s going to get wetter but let’s manage the high speed, manage the high speed. Ocon ahead on old grained inters. Just need to look after the rear-left so we don’t hurt it.
He passes Ocon Vizard OK, so it’s going to rain for 10 minutes. There’s three minutes of heavy rain in the middle. So if you think you can’t survive it, you need to let us know. Alonso I don’t know, thinking to undercut maybe these guys. It depends on the rain. Alonso Aintree
It feels quite slow now, this part. Vizard The rain is only short. If they’re dead, we should box. Leaders are boxing, suggest box. Alonso Box, box. Lap: 12/52 STR: 1’47.154, ALO: 2’07.516 Gannon Heavier rain from turn seven-eight for two to three minutes. Alonso Pit lane. Vizard Copy, we’ll leave the flap. Vizard White Int R, white Int R. Close to Russell pit exit, maybe just behind him. Vizard Russell new inter just behind you. Seven minutes more rain, including three heavier minutes. Vizard We expect heavy rain to start next lap and it will come from seven first.
Russell passes him at The Loop

“Lance is currently P4, he fitted the soft early on”

The Safety Car was deployed due to the wet conditions on lap 13. Alonso was unimpressed when told about his team mate’s progress.

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Lap: 13/52 STR: 1’52.134, ALO: 2’02.342 Gannon Good job Lance, you’re P4 right now. Very heavy rain, two or three laps, just stay on the track and you’ll be good. Vizard Probably expect two to three laps like this, no rain after that. Stroll [Unclear] Alonso I need info on the cars in front, I cannot see anything. Gannon It’s very heavy, just keep it on track, keep it on track. All you have to do is stay on track, don’t worry about the other cars, just stay on track, you’re doing great. Hulkenberg is 1.3 behind, Hulkenburg 1.5 behind. Vizard We’ll let you know what’s happening ahead. You’ve got Russell three ahead [unclear] Hamilton. It’s a Safety Car, Safety Car. Safety Car, keep it positive, no overtaking. Maintain temp as best you can. Lap: 14/52 STR: 2’18.760, ALO: 2’16.573 Gannon Safety Car, Safety Car Lance. Slow down get plus on delta time, positive on delta time Alonso Race situation? Stroll They need to red flag it man, it’s so much wetter. Vizard We expect two more laps at this rate, then it will end. Gannon Yeah, understood, Lance, understood. So just keep it on track and keep what tyre temp you can, keep what temp you can. This rain will end in three minutes. It’s about to be very heavy in the final corner. So just maintain the tyre temp. You’re doing an amazing job. Just keep it on track and keep the tyre temp. You can go slower, you can go slower, you’re okay there on delta time, you see. Straight line braking is the best but don’t stress about it. You’re doing a good job. Alonso Yeah but which position are we, and how? Why have we lost so many places. Gannon Front temp is the focus, front temp is what we need. Leader Piastri is one he’s going to get the Safety Car in four and then he’ll start to pack up. Vizard So you’re currently P10. Ocon has stayed out on quite a used set of inters, everyone else is a similar tyre age to you. Lance is currently P4, he fitted the soft early on, then fitted an inter. Alonso Wow. Vizard Just try and maintain those front temps as best you can, front’s the limit for now. Alonso Which position are we? Vizard You’re currently P10. Lap: 15/52 STR: 2’31.688, ALO: 2’24.268 Alonso And all the people that we lost places, they have the worse tyre or we just lose places for fun? Vizard So Ocon, in P17 is the only one on significantly… er, P7, is the only one on significantly older tyre. So he’s 14 lap inter, you’re three. We also lost out to Hulkenberg, I think he stopped a lap earlier than we did. Alonso Crazy how you never get it right with me.

“Terrible race”

When the track track dried later, Alonso tried to make up for lost time by being the first to pit onto slick tyres. This temporarily moved him up to eighth place, but Alexander Albon passed him on the final lap.

Without that, he would have finished one place behind Stroll, who was passed by Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly over the final two laps.

Afterwards team principal Andy Cowell admitted that, with the benefit of hindsight, they would have put both drivers on the same strategy. However Stroll, unlike Alonso, suggested switching to slick tyres during the first stint. Although he ultimately left the call up to his team, Alonso did not do the same.

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Lap: 35/52 ALO: 1’43.238 Alonso No one has stopped yet? Vizard Negative, nobody’s stopped yet. I’ll take feedback on track conditions when you can. Alonso It’s damp in some places, but obviously a lot of graining so not very fast at the moment. Lap: 36/52 ALO: 1’42.516 Vizard From our side, temps are low, but they’re getting towards the lap where Lance fitted soft before. Vizard Fernando consider shape 11 or 12. Lap: 37/52 ALO: 1’40.138 Vizard Nobody has stopped yet. So Fernando, for us we think it’s getting close to shape 11, let us know what you think. Alonso Yeah, I agree. Vizard Box this lap. Alonso Copy box, box. Vizard Careful on the way to the box.
Alonso switches to slicks Lap: 38/52 ALO: 2’16.801 Vizard Okay you can do run switch race, run switch race, clear on pit exit. Shape three. Watch pit exit, may be slippery.
Alonso struggles for grip after rejoining the circuit and is passed by Tsunoda approaching Copse Vizard Entry six, mid six. Lap: 39/52 ALO: 1’47.666 Vizard Russell stopped ahead as well, he fitted hard tyre. Vizard Yellow turn 12, Russell off. Lap: 42/52 ALO: 1’39.415 Vizard So those cars you see ahead, they’ve just come out of pit lane on a medium. Lap: 43/52 ALO: 1’37.153 Vizard Using early energy, exit 13 is sustainable.
Alonso passes Russell Lap: 44/52 ALO: 1’33.635 Vizard Albon ahead is new medium, may be vulnerable. Chequered flag Vizard Okay, Fernando, that’s the flag so that’s P9 in the end. So HPP off. Run switch warm-up. And you can do MFB blue override position 12. Alonso Terrible race, as you see. Vizard Okay, so it’s steady on the way, if you can. There’s a lot to look through from that one.

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