Lando Norris and Yuki Tsunoda took a gamble in Friday's qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a strategic bet that will however prevent then from taking part in Saturday's Q3 Sprint Shootout.
Formula 1's new Sprint format regulations mandate that drivers use one set of Medium tyres in the first and second segments of the Shootout, and then a set of new Softs in SQ3.
Article 30.5, part four of the regulations states: "In the period SQ3 of the Sprint Shootout, up to one set of dry-weather tyres may be used, and this must only be a new set of the Soft specification."
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However, while that rule is clear, the regulations says nothing about compelling teams to save a set of new softs for SQ3.
This means that a driver can run through an entire allocation of soft tyres in Friday's qualifying session, but would be forced to sit out SQ3 the following day - should the driver reach the final segment on Saturday – due to not having a new set of softs at his disposal.
This was the calculated strategy chosen on Friday by McLaren and AlphaTauri who both opted to prioritise the positions of Norris and Tsunoda on Sunday's grid by using their entire allocation of soft tyres in qualifying.
The tactic paid off reasonably well for both drivers, with Norris starting Sunday's race from P7, just one position ahead of Tsunoda who will line up P8 on the grid.
"It was a conscious strategic decision to maximise the grand prix quali result," said a McLaren team spokesperson, quoted by Motorsport.com.
"There’s a lot more points to be scored on Sunday, so it’s the more important race to prioritise."
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