Tyre strategy Pirelli: Verstappen has disadvantage while Mercedes benefits

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19 July 2020 at 11:12
Last update 19 July 2020 at 11:31
  • GPblog.com

During every qualifying session it is a guess which tyre will be the fastest for the Grand Prix. Will you start on the soft tyre or will you try to ride on the medium during Q2, so you can start the race on that tyre. Both cars from Racing Point and Mercedes have opted for this and Pirelli expects that they will have an advantage during the race.

For the Hungarian Grand Prix, Pirelli expects the one-stopper from medium to soft to be the fastest strategy. Behind that lies the strategy with the soft band, on which Max Verstappen will start. The fastest strategy with the soft tyre is remarkably a two-stopper. Where the driver first drives two stints on the soft belt, and then goes to the medium.

Depending on traffic

It remains to be seen whether Verstappen will actually apply that strategy. Because he starts seventh, he wants to make up for a lot of time in the early stages, in order not to get into traffic after the pit stop. According to Pirelli the other option is to go from soft to hard. The slowest strategy, which probably won't come back during the Grand Prix, is to start on the mediums, to finish the race on the hard.