Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has outlined that it expects a one-stop strategy to be the quickest approach for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Pirelli has nominated the three softest compounds from its range – the Hypersoft, Ultrasoft and Supersoft tyres – in order to deal with the Yas Marina Circuit.
Either the Ultrasoft or Supersoft tyres must be run for one stint of Sunday’s 55-lap Grand Prix.
Pirelli has outlined that a stint of length 18 to 22 laps on Ultrasofts, before taking on Supersofts through to the chequered flag, is likely to be the quickest approach.
All of the top five drivers on the grid – Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Ferrari pair Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, and Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo – will start on Ultrasoft tyres.
This is because they managed to set their best Q2 times on the purple-banded compound.
Pirelli anticipates that an alternative one-stop approach is to run an eight to 12 lap stint on Hypersofts before using Supersofts for the remainder of the race.
The remainder of the top 10 starters – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Haas’ Romain Grosjean, Sauber’s Charles Leclerc, Force India’s Esteban Ocon and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg – will have the Hypersoft for the first stint.
Pirelli has also outlined that a two-stop strategy, running a short five to eight lap stint on Hypersofts before two 22-25 lap spells on Ultrasofts is likely to be “very close.”
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will start at 17:10 local time on Sunday.
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