Trying to improve strategy calls
Hello everyone!
As the title says, I'm trying to understand/ read the game AI and improve my strategy calls during high-pressure situations, like the one in the attached screenshot. Maybe more experienced players would like to chip in?`
Situation: It was Monza, whole race in intermediate conditions. My car is currently the second best car, with poor top speed. We were trading the lead with Russell, until Hadjar caused a Safety Car in lap 43 I believe. We went to pit for new Inters, since Piastri and Alonso had a good gap to P5 and below, while Russell and many other drivers stayed out. On the restart, both drivers jumped Russell, before we reached turn 3, when Verstappen wreckingballed into Hamilton to cause the next SC with 8 laps to go.
Now, I thought this was a simple choice of staying out, because we already pitted 3 laps earlier and now had gained track position aswell. But then I noticed that the McLaren were gone and switched to Softs, despite the 2mm of water still on track. I looked at the weather report, which had updated to show the water gradually disappear until it hit 0mm by the last 2 laps. Which means I know the Inter will already be the slower tyre by lap 49 or 50.
However, I still stayed out to keep track position and pushing the tyres until the finish line, because they were fresh and deg wasn't a problem. Then, of course, everyone else went to pit for Softs immediately and the SC stayed another lap until they all caught up again. My team was faster until lap 50, before they both started to struggle and got caught by lap 52, finishing in P11 and 12 at the end, which is obviously a generational fumble on my part.
Now, my question is, what are the indicators that this was the moment to switch to Soft tyres? I never seem to get these situations right, no matter what I do, lol.
In other races when I do make the switch to Softs in almost identical situations (Zandvoort earlier in the season for example), the weather suddenly doesn't dry as quickly as advertised (my Weather Center is level 5/5 for reference).. or I get stuck in the caravan, because the cars that stayed out on Inters seem to have so much more pace than they should have, when waterlevels drop below 1.0mm.
Do you people have a golden rule that you follow? Something like "No stops when less than X laps left"? Or am I missing something obvious? Is it just luck and the AI just wings it, hoping for the best?
Any kind of input would be very much appreciated, cheers!