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THE STRATEGIST: Rain, red flags and confusion – how do the teams plan for a race like Sunday's Dutch GP?
Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy
Bernie CollinsThe Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort is always a hectic race for the strategists. The quick 70-second lap time, difficulty in overtaking and high tyre degradation all come with challenges. Since its return to the calendar in 2021, the race has been a sunny affair, but not so this year as a host of new challenges were thrown at the teams and drivers.
Before the weekend began, Zandvoort was expected to be a two-stop race, but with the variable rain conditions the drivers ended up stopping between four and seven times. So how do you set strategy for a wet race – and react to constantly changing conditions, Safety Car restarts and red flags? Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins explains what it’s like for those on the pit wall…