Pirelli has brought softer compounds compared to last year’s edition, making a one-stop strategy far from guaranteed.
Today, at 7 PM Italian time, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will take place—the fifth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The race promises to be exciting, with Verstappen and Piastri starting from the front row, while championship leader Norris will start from 10th after a crash in Q3. On the second row are Russell and Leclerc, ready to take advantage of any potential tussle between the front-runners..
Strategy will play a key role, especially with Pirelli opting for softer compounds this time around. As a result, a single pit stop may not be the obvious choice. Mario Isola weighed in on the potential strategies for today’s Grand Prix, saying: “It was a thrilling qualifying session, with pole position changing hands several times in the final minutes. Once again, we have four drivers from four different teams in the first two rows, which shows just how balanced this season is. The C5 compound also proved effective even on the second push lap.”
Isola also commented on the varied approaches taken by the teams: “There are two reasons behind these choices: covering potential safety car periods, which are quite likely on this track, and having a buffer in case tire degradation turns out to be higher than expected.” According to Pirelli’s calculations, the one-stop and two-stop strategies are very close in terms of total race time. Some teams might even gamble on a two-stop approach, opting to use the softer compound in the final stint.
