Tyre strategies for the Spanish Grand Prix

Pirelli has confirmed the possible tyre strategies for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, where tyre strategy may prove to be the winning factor.

Feature image credit: Pirelli

Many teams and drivers will enter Sunday’s race against the unknown as they enter the Spanish Madring for the first time in race conditions.

However, tyre degradation, accelerated by graining for those who are more prone to sliding across the fresh track, Pirelli suggests the one stop race would likely be the naturally preferred option.

It comes down to data obtained over the free practice sessions, and the long pit lane.

So, what are the possible tyre strategies for the Spanish Grand Prix?

Pirelli suspect hard compounds to be vital to Spanish Grand Prix strategy

Tyre strategy

Pirelli suspects drivers may opt for a preferred medium to hard strategy, pitting on laps 18 to 24. There is a soft-to-hard one-stop strategy with soft-starters expected to stop around laps 15 to 21 for the harder compound.

Following on there are two variable two-stop options.

It looks like those who start on the mediums would pit for hard tyres on lap 10 to 16, before pitting again for another set of white-walled tyres on laps 31-37 to finish out the race.

Alternatively, soft-starters would be expected to stop on laps 9 to 15 for the hards before stopping again on lap 30-36.

Available tyres

All bar the two Audis and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson have kept back all of the hard compound tyres, with Lawson maintaining a fresh set of mediums.

On the other hand, the two Audi’s still have a fresh medium and Gabriel Bortoleto has two soft tyres spare compared to Nico Hulkenberg’s one set.

In addition many of the drivers still have a set of medium compounds ready for the upcoming race. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and both Ferraris have still got a used set available to them, but the Dutchman has the most compromised allocation.

According to Pirelli, Verstappen has maintained two sets of hards, but does not have a fresh set of medium or softs available, with one used medium and three used softs.

Whereas the rest of the field have either a fresh set of mediums, a fresh set of softs or both available to them.

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.