James on the “critical” decision that helped secure our Monza points

Alex Albon’s P9 finish at the Italian Grand Prix has given the team a great springboard heading into the first of eight flyaway races to finish the 2024 season.

Our Thai racer was one of just four drivers who finished inside the top 10 on Sunday after completing a one-stop, whilst Franco Colapinto used the strategy to help him gain six positions in the race, the most in the field.

Answering a fan’s question on the latest episode of The Vowles Verdict, presented by Kraken, James Vowles offered an insight into how the decision to just pit once was made.

“The one [stop] versus the two was critical to scoring points on the day with Alex,” our Team Principal began.

“The decision was made in the morning. Strategy meetings are different depending on which team you’re in and how they operate. With us, they take place in the morning and we’re bringing together engineering, tyres, strategy and drivers.

“We’re there to really understand what are the options on the table, what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths and what do we have to ensure we get working in the circumstance?

“What the strategy team did very well in conjunction with the tyre and the engineering teams is highlight the one stop is the way forward.”

However, it is never just as simple as committing to your strategy and wishing Alex and Franco the best of luck. Numerous other factors have to be taken into consideration, as James continued to explain.

“To make it work there are a set of compromises, part of it is baked into the car set up, part of it is how we use the tools system, front flap, and a lot of it is how the driver actually manages the tyres during the race.

“If you go into the race unsure on what you are doing, you are probably going to end up in a two stop or a compromise, even in a halfway house between the two of them.

“You really have to go in with the intention of making this work. Both Alex and Franco did that and did that very successfully.”

Monza is historically a one stop venue, but factors such as high track temperature and an all-new track surface made it particularly difficult to execute in 2024, with 10 of the 19 finishers opting for a two stop.

It certainly wasn’t easy, and some sacrifices had to be made to ensure we committed to the plan outlined earlier that morning.

“It’s painful at times because they [Alex and Franco] are driving quite a bit off the pace in order to make it work, but they managed really effectively.

“You saw that a number of teams thought about the one stop, perhaps having to bail out of the one stop, and we were able to make it work.

“Just real strength in the fact that the team came together, had their heads together on how to make it work and executed it very well.”