Enzo F.
Published on Sep 5, 2023
With low tire degradation at Monza, the 'Temple of Speed', an aggressive one-stop strategy is a tempting and often decisive gamble. Starting on the Soft compound tires allows for a strong launch and the ability to build an early gap. The target is to push hard until a pit window opens around lap 24-28, then switch to the Hard compound to run to the end of the race. This strategy hinges on the car having enough pace to create a sufficient buffer over the cars planning a two-stop, which will be faster in the later stages of the race on fresher tires. The primary risk is the Safety Car. A deployment just after the pit stop is ideal, but one just before the window opens can be catastrophic, effectively handing a free pit stop to competitors and erasing any advantage gained. Furthermore, the driver must be skilled in tire management to make the Hard tires last for nearly half the race distance without a significant drop-off in performance. It's a high-stakes play that balances raw pace, strategic timing, and driver finesse, but when it pays off, it often leads directly to the top step of the podium.