F1 2010 Qualifying strategy

[subferro]

Is there any normal strategy for using tires during qualifying? I just had an instance where I was qualified in 11th, and for whatever reason decided to push it one more lap. Sure enough I move myself up into 10th, but realized I had already put 9 laps on my Options. So now I'm having to start with tires at 79% wear. Is there a general practice of changing tires if you're looking like you might break the top 10 with qualifying, so that if you do, it'll be on fresher tires?

I'm running short weekends, so only one qualifying session, if that changes things, as well as 50% race distance, so that 79% is going to turn into worn tires pretty quickly...

 

[My993C2]

You have to pay attention to how many tires of each type you have left. If I know I can easily make it out of Q1, I do minimal laps and do them on primes. Same with Q2. If I know I can get out of Q2 easily, once again minimal laps and do them on primes if possible.

Surprise surprise the AI does not appear to go through tires like we do during qualifying. In our perfect world (LOL like F1 2010 is anything close to a perfect world), if I can make it to Q3 with two sets of 100% options I will do two stints each with an out lap, a hot lap and an in lap (you can skip the out and in laps if you really want to save your tires). This way at worst I will be starting on reasonable options of 90% or more. But if I make it into Q3 and know I don't have a hope in hell of being anywhere near pole, I might just do an out lap, a hot lap and an in lap on primes and start the race on primes. It all depends ... but yeah pay attention to your tires. Sucks to be starting on worn out options.

 

[Steve Stoop]

wow 9 quali laps on one set of options is a big nono.

I just do 1 hotlap per set of options, so that's 3 hotlaps total (if I need them and am not already satisfied with say my first hotlap).

Outlap, hotlap, inlap...just like real F1, occasionally you can do 2 hotlaps one after another, but anything more than that you should TOTALLY avoid doing.

 

[Andrew Bortz]

I do up to 4 hotlaps on primes (Online) Sometimes and its not often ill only use options if im really far back in the field.

 

[Yawama]

That's a good strategy Steve, I think I'll start doing that now.

I tend to just go out with one pair of options and try and do two hotlaps with them. End up starting about every race with 84-86% wear.

Edit: Just checked, I only get 2 sets of options in Q3, is that the same for everyone else?

 

[subferro]

Yeah I'm with Kully, Steve's approach to qualifying sounds like the way to go. Wish I had known that realistically they do Outlap-Hotlap-Inlap on one set of options to keep them fresh. That's what I get for living in the US, I'm lucky if SPEED televises races when I can watch them, much less qualifying sessions...

Made it through China with the worn tires, finished just outside the points (could've taken 10th if the race had been 2 laps longer). Of course that means Barcelona and Monaco are the next two races, so even the best qualifying strategy in the world might not save me there...