2014 Austrian Grand Prix – Race

TWO-TOP STRATEGY PROVES THE WINNING CHOICE IN HOT CONDITIONS OF AUSTRIA

RACE TACTICS HELP MERCEDES TO JUMP WILLIAMS

STRATEGIES IN LINE WITH PRE-RACE SIMULATIONS

Spielberg, June 22, 2014 – Race strategy proved key to victory for Mercedes driver at the Austrian Grand Prix, who started from third on the grid. The German started behind both Williams drivers, but by stopping before them and maximising the benefit of new tyres – a manoeuvre known as the ‘undercut’ – he was able to gain the lead after the first round of pit stops.

Rosberg’s team mate used the same strategy even more effectively. Hamilton started on the P Zero Red supersoft and then completed two stints on the P Zero Yellow soft, to finish just 1.9 seconds behind his team mate despite starting from ninth on the grid. Both drivers fought closely to the end, with clinching his debut podium, just eight seconds off the lead.

The of Sergio Perez started from 15th on the grid on the soft tyres and went to lap 29 before completing one more stint on the soft and then the final stint on the rapid supersoft compound. This opposite tactic from most drivers elevated him to sixth at the finish.

Despite track temperatures in excess of 40 degrees centigrade, the two Marussia drivers – Jules Bianchi and – as well as Caterham’s all finished the race with just one pit stop.

Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “Tyre performance was very much in line with our expectations today, despite the warmer conditions. As a result of that, degradation was a little higher than we saw previously and it was a straightforward two- stop race, with a one-stopper becoming a little too ambitious for most teams. We saw an entertaining grand prix where tyre strategy was very important, and of course it’s always great to see a new face on the podium. Congratulations to Valtteri and Williams, as well as Mercedes, for a great performance all weekend.”

Fastest times of the day by compound:

Soft Supersoft Intermediate Wet First HAM 1m12.217s PER 1m12.142s N/A N/A Second BOT 1m12.581s BUT 1m12.858s N/A N/A Third MAS 1m12.586s MAL 1m13.187s N/A N/A

Longest stint of the race:

Soft 57 laps K Kobayashi Supersoft 37 laps M Chilton

Pirelli Tyre Press Office Ph. +39 02 6442 4270 – [email protected] – www.pirelli.com

Truth-O-Meter:

Our two-stop prediction was: start on supersoft, change to soft on lap 13 and soft again on lap 42. Rosberg stopped slightly earlier than our prediction, on laps 11 and 40, but followed the same strategy.

Pirelli Tyre Press Office Ph. +39 02 6442 4270 – [email protected] – www.pirelli.com

Pit stop summary – 2014 Austrian Grand Prix

Rosberg: SSU SN (11) SN (40) 2 Hamilton: SSU SN (13) SU (39) 2 Bottas: SSU SN (15) SU (41) 2 Massa: SSU SN (14) SU (43) 2 Alonso: SSU SN (14) SN (47) 2 Perez: SN SU (29) SSN (55) 2 Magnussen: SSU SN (10) SN (40) 2 Ricciardo: SSU SN (10) SU (43) 2 Hulkenberg: SSU SN (9) SU (39) 2 Raikkonen: SSU SN (15) SU (44) 2 Button: SN SN (27) SSN (58) 2 Maldonado: SN SU (26) SSN (56) 2 Sutil: SSN SN (11) SN (43) 2 Grosjean: SSN SN (3) SN (27) 2 Bianchi: SN SSN (40) 1 Kobayashi: SSN SN (14) 1 Chilton: SN SSN (37) 1 Ericsson: SN SSN (28) SN (43) 2 Gutierrez: SSN SN (12) S&G (21) SN (45) 3

Vergne: SSN SN (8) SN (39) 2 NC Vettel: SSN SN (20) SU (28) 2 NC Kvyat: SSU SN (10) 1 NC

The first column denotes the tyres the driver started the race on.

SS = Supersoft compound S = Soft compound N = New compound U = Used compound

NC = Not classified S&G = Stop&Go

The last column gives the total amount of pit stops. ***

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(Head of F1 Press Office)

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Pirelli Tyre Press Office Ph. +39 02 6442 4270 – [email protected] – www.pirelli.com