Strategies and tyres: Ferrari slightly ahead?

What will be the winning strategy? We won't know the real answer until tonight, but tyre supplier Pirelli has already given us a little insight! The Italian tyre manufacturer expects a two-stop to be the fastest, letting us know via their social media.

Pirelli has given two possible variants for the two-stop strategy. One strategy starts and finishes on the medium tyres, with a stint on the hards in between the two. Another option could be to start on the medium tyre again and then do two stints on the hard tyre. According to Pirelli, it is whichever of these two variants will be the fastest.

However, a one-stop does seem slower, according to the Italians, who, in that case, would start on the medium tyre and then put on the white-walled hard yres after about 30 laps.

Max Verstappen has a fresh set of hard tyres and also has two new sets of mediums at his disposal, reports Pirelli. The Dutchman is at a slight disadvantage compared to the Ferraris, who both still have three fresh sets of medium tyres, along with a set of new hards too. Ferrari could have an advantage in a race with safety cars to have an extra set of mediums. It could also help the Italians if tyre degradation is higher than expected too.