A debate -ꦆ involving Chri♍stian Horner - has proven how difficult it was for Mercedes to select the optimum strategy in the F1 Japanese Grand Prix.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton’s P9 and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell’s P7 - behind both Ferraris and both Red Bulls aඣmong others - suggests that Mercedes got their decision wrong in 🐠Suzuka.

After🐽 a first-lap red flag, the💎y restarted by switching to hard compounds.

Hamilton cal♑led to “change the strategy” on his team rad💖io after battling to find any pace.

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Merc༺edes changed their drivers onto new hard tyres, then fin꧂ished on mediums, but faced scrutiny for their decision-making.

Hamilton afte🍌rwards defended his team’s strategy but insisted that he preferred the medium tyre.

“A topsy-turvy weekend,” Sky Sports’ Bernie Collins assessed. “They will be disappointed by whatꦫ has happened in the race.

“Lewis is maybe a little bit skewed by the first stint on the hards💟. He was overtaken by Geor🅺ge on the same tyre, likely on the same fuel load.

“That never♒ feels great from a driver’s point of view because he was ahead at the red flag.

“Then he says the ‘medium at the end felt the best’. Of course it does! It’s the lightest the car hܫas been, the besܫt the track has been…

“Allꩲ of those things mean that the medium - or whatever tyre you f🌠it for the final stint - will feel the best."

Collins insisted t🌸hat the medium tyre is not 🐻always preferable: “Not necessarily. That is a bit subjective.

“If he had a medium at the start that he could compare w♉ith? ♑Then maybe. But we don’t have that.”

Christian Horner's verdict on Mercedes' strategy call

But Damon Hill had a diff♔erent view about Mercedes’ strategy.

Both Red Bull and Ferrari opted for a different tyre strategy to Meꦑrcedes.

“I disagree with Bernie,” Hill said. “⛦As a driver, I would have liked both mediums, please!”

Red Bull team principal Horner then weighed into the debate 🤪with his verdict.

“I was speaking with Checo,” Horner said. “He was saying with hind🧸sight he would have preferred two hard tyres, rather than two mediums, to go into the race.

“It seems like Checo is on Team Bernie.

“I don’t think there was much in it. The track wꦜas warmer today, that brought the cars into a different operating window.

“Th🐼e circuit just gets faster and faster throughout the race.”

Red Bull secured a 1-2 finish - tꦰheir third of 2024 - with Ma🎉x Verstappen leading Sergio Perez home.

Verstappen told Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz (who completed the podium) that Red Bull preferred a ﷺtwo-stop strategy after the restar💞t.