Question about tires. How to save a set of fresh softs for the rcae.

[STarScream]

I've been playing F1 games for awhile and usually do 25% distance. When I race a 50% or longer race I want to qualify on the mediums but every time I do this when I come in to box, all I have is a set of used softs. I've tried changing my weekend tire selection to mostly soft tires and I also have tried using 1 set of soft for the first qualy, then use the medium for the second and soft again for the third qualy session but I can never come in to box and get a fresh set of softs.. I should know how to do this since I have been playing every F1 game since 2014 but I just recently started racing longer races. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get, have a good day.

[Dreagon]

Don't use the recommended tires. They will always use new ones. I only use the default tires and I use this in a weekend:

P1: 1 Set of hards for the track familiarity and 1 set of mediums for tire, ers and fuel management.
P2: 1 Set of mediums for race pace and 1 set of softs for quali.
P3: 1 Set of mediums for just racing a bit and potentially having another go at a practice program.
This saves 1 set of softs allocated to practice.

Q1: 1 or 2 sets of softs, depending on the first time.
Q2: 1 set of mediums or one set of used softs and 1 fresh set of softs.
Q3: 1 set of used softs (not the one I used to set the Q2 time) and 1 set of fresh softs.

Unless I'm doing something wrong I'm pretty sure this keeps one fresh set softs, two if you only do one run in Q1.

[STarScream]

Sometimes i do change to a used tire in a practice program. Yea, it automatically puts a new set on for each practice program (unless you run out of fresh tires). Are you saying instead of saving one of the tires in qually to use as a fresh tire when you box for tires in the race instead save a tire or 2 from the practice programs? I follow F1 very closely but I have never heard anyone talk about how teams have a fresh tire or 2 for the race (the soft tire that is). I will try this. I have been wanting to qualify on mediums in the 2nd qually so start on the mediums in the race but have a fresh set of soft tires. It seems, at least in real F1, strategy wise this is the way to go. I have used 1 set soft 1st qually, 1 set of mediums in the 2nd, so I start on mediums, and 1 set of soft again for the 3rd qually but doing that alone I don't get a fresh set of soft tires when I box even though I still had 1 fresh set of soft tires that I did not use in qually. Thanks for posting this. Have a good day.

[Dreagon]

I never actually pay attention to what tires are put on my car so it's definitely possible I'm wrong. But that's basically my thought process. Or maybe the AI has some weird tire selection priorities.

[Jack]

Q3 has a recommended set of softs that are only available for Q3. If these are the ones you're seeing fresh during Q3 you won't see them during the race.