Stroll Reveals Ruleโฃ Exploitation โLed to victory Over Verstappen in 2020 Turkish Grand Prix
Lance Stroll has disclosed a strategic maneuver involving Formula 1’s tire pressure regulationsโค that contributed to his surprising victory over Max Verstappen during the challenging 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. The Aston Martinโข driver admitted to โขdeliberately operating outside โthe established parameters, a tactic that ultimately proved accomplished in securing a podiumโฃ finish and outperforming the then-rising star Verstappen.
The revelation comes amidstโฃ ongoing scrutiny of F1’s tire management rules, which have undergone important revisions in recent years. Previously, Pirelli and the FIA adjusted minimum tire pressures event-by-event, responding to track conditions and blistering risks. Stroll’s account highlights a period of greater versatility,where teams could strategicallyโ push theโ boundariesโ of these regulations.The current regulations,implemented to enhance safety and predictability,now enforce โstricter โขminimum starting pressures and limit tireโ heating methods.
During the rain-affected 2020 Turkish Grand Prix, Stroll and his Racing Point team took a calculated risk. “We were running very low pressures, probably โคlower than anyone else,” Stroll explained. “It โฃwas a bit of a mess around with the โขrules, to be honest. Weโฃ wereโ trying to find the sweet spot, and โit worked.” The gambleโ paid off as Stroll secured his first and, to date, only Formula 1 โฃvictory, finishing ahead ofโฃ Sergio Pรฉrez and Verstappen.
Verstappen,who ultimately finished sixth,struggled to get โฃhis tires into the optimal operating window on the slick Istanbul Park circuit. โStroll’s willingness toโ run lower pressures โallowed him to generate more grip and maintain control in the treacherousโ conditions, ultimately giving him a crucial advantage. “Max was struggling a lotโฃ more than me toโ get heat into the tires,” Stroll added. “It was a special day,โ and it was nice to beat him.”