Formula 1 drivers are set to discuss the current Pirelli tyres and the two-tier competitive order in a meeting at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Friday.
The men behind the wheel have become increasingly frustrated over the current state of the sport and particularly how the races are becoming dominant on tyre conservation to make a one-stop strategy work.
Blistering has been a feature at a number of events in 2018 and now the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) want to discuss ways to improve the show.
“I think ideally the less pit stops you can do in a race normally the better your strategy is going to be, or the quicker your race time is going to be,” Daniel Ricciardo commented.
“If we feel we can get by on one stop we will drive to the pace of a one-stop and that is normally better than pushing for a two-stop. This year for whatever reason that has been the way the compounds have been set up at the races. It is just managing a one-stop and that is a quicker race.”
The situation is also frustrating for fans with one-stop races often not producing the action and variables that multi-stop strategies bring with the Australian admitting it is a tough thing to balance.
“They wanted a tyre we could race on harder for longer and now we are nearly getting that,” he said, “But I don’t know how to have a tyre we can push hard on, that is going to degrade so we can still do a two or three stop, we will just drive slower like we are doing now.
“If we push hard on this tyre from the start, we’d do a two-stop instead of a one but the drivers see that cruising on a one-stop is going to be quicker, so we are doing what is best for the strategy.”
The other major topic is going to be the current domination of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull with the remaining midfield teams often around a second-and-a-half slower at best in qualifying.
“I don’t want to speak for everyone else, but I feel like we need to give our feedback and maybe try to do a bit more because the races aren’t fun,” GPDA director Romain Grosjean said.
“P6 in Mexico is two laps down? How do you hope to see a midfield car on the podium if they are one or two laps down?
Also Read:
- Alonso: F1 needs to re-find the unpredictability and excitement of 2005
- Pirelli prepared to allow team unlimited tyre choices if one rule is changed
- Haas: Midfield racing in ‘F1.5’ given gap to top three teams
“The delta between the big teams and the small teams is too big plus the tyres being so complicated to understand, to drive, if you don’t have the downforce you destroy them and you open the gap again.”
Through chairman Alex Wurz, the GPDA has looked to raise its voice when it comes to the political situation in F1 and Grosjean believes it is in everyone’s interest that their views be heard.
“If we get to somewhere where everyone is happy with what we have discussed, then we should move them forward to you guys, to Liberty or whoever,” he said.
“[It’s important] we don’t sit back and don’t do anything for the sport we love.”