One more day at Punchy - and many more punches for Starmer
I was minded last night, as I watched the Miami GP Sprint Pole qualies, of the leadership battle currently being silently waged behind closed doors.
At Miami, the clock had started for Q1, and nothing moved. No cars appeared, and after a couple of “nil-action” minutes, even the commentators were getting bewildered. Then suddenly out into the pit lane and down to the track came Piastri, closely followed by Bottas and then everyone was out, and traffic jams and chaos and near-accidents ensued for a worrying forty or so seconds.
And like everything else in Formula 1, there is a reason. What they’re doing is multi-layered, a combination of physics and psychology.
Firstly, the track surface changes every minute. As cars drive on it, they scrub off dirt and lay down a layer of hot rubber from their tyres. More Rubber = More Grip, meaning a track is almost always “faster” at the end of a session than at the beginning. Waiting five minutes can sometimes gain a driver a tenth of a second, which is often the difference between starting 1st or 5th. Secondly, tyres and engines have a very narrow “Goldilocks zone” for peak performance. If the sun goes behind a cloud or the evening air cools (as is common in twilight races), grip levels shift. If a car goes out too early and has to sit at the end of the pit lane, the engine can overheat because these cars rely on high-speed airflow for cooling.
Then they have to consider the “Tow” or Aerodynamic Drafting. In qualifying, particularly at high-speed tracks like Monza or Spa, drivers want a slipstream. By following another car closely (but not too closely), the lead car punches a hole in the air, reducing drag for the car behind. This allows the following car to reach a higher top speed on the straights. Everyone waits so they can tuck in behind a rival and “steal” some speed. Finally, of course, there is the psychological question of “Track Position”. If Team A sends their car out, Team B knows exactly what lap time they need to beat. By waiting, teams keep their true pace a secret for as long as possible.
All these careful plans can come unstuck in a moment when a rival car goes wrong on track, causing a yellow flag; where the clock continues, but lap times are in abeyance until the yellow flag is cleared. Tires get colder, batteries need more management, and disaster looms.
In real life, is Streeting waiting for the track to “rubber-in”? He can’t wait too long because that gives Burnham a chance to do a deal for a seat. Friday morning next week… and that leadership pit lane is going to look like Monza on a wet Saturday.
Punchestown - Last Day. Just one winning day… please!
14:30 Lisnamult Lad - Fakir D’oudairies
15:05 Union Station - Folly Master
15:45 Invictus Machin - Bill Baxter
16:15 Wodhooh to beat Jade De Grugy
16:55 Saratoga Matin - Midi Et Soir - Apolon De Charnie
17:30 Letos - Tripoli Flyer - Dani Donadoni
18:05 Runningtostandstil - Cotswold Blue
18:35 Mordor - Dark Note