Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli expects a one-stop strategy to be the most favourable by the teams and drivers for the Monaco Grand Prix in the event of a dry race.
The Monte Carlo circuit provides a low-degradation surface due to the lack of high-speed corners around the tight, narrow and twisty streets of the Principality.
All drivers inside the top 10 will begin the race on the red-marked Soft tyre on the provision the race start is declared dry.
Those drivers in the lower half of the grid have free choice of starting compound should the forecast rain steer away from the circuit.
Due to the low tyre wear often seen in Monaco, the pit stop window allows a lot of room for strategy options and for teams to take advantage of a well-timed safety car should one arise – as is quite often the case.
Pirelli believes the quickest strategy for the 78-lap grand prix is to run a Soft/Hard tyre approach and make the pit stop anywhere between laps 10 and 22.
It reckons the second-fastest approach would be to start on the soft tyre and switch to the yellow-marked mediums between laps 18 and 25.
The slowest strategy would be a two-stopper, but Pirelli believes it would only be relevant should tyre degradation prove to be higher than expected. Should the strategy be viable, Pirelli believes two stints of 10-12 laps on the soft compound, followed by a final stint on the hard compound tyre.
The Met Office at the time of writing has a 40% chance of rain in the hours leading up to the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, which would of course call for a completely different strategy.
