Pirelli calculates: Verstappen lucky Hamilton won't start from P2

The new format, with a sprint race on Saturday, gives all drivers a free choice of tyres for the Italian Grand Prix. No hassle with drivers in the top ten being stuck to a certain strategy, but freedom for all twenty drivers. Pirelli expects it to be a one-stop shop in Monza, but there is a lot of variation possible.

The Italian tyre supplier itself recommends four different strategy options, with all four not differing much from each other according to Pirelli. The fastest would be to start on the yellow tyre and finish on the softest red tyre. Shortly behind is an inverse strategy, starting on the softest tyre and exiting on the yellow.

The third strategy according to Pirelli is the option that Red Bull Racing are likely to pursue with Max Verstappen. Starting on the yellow tyre and finishing on the hardest tyre. This is because Verstappen only has yellow and white tyres new in his choice. Mercedes on the other hand with Lewis Hamilton has new tyres left of each set. He will probably want to start on the softest tyre to make up places at the start.

The two McLaren drivers who will start from P2 and P3 have, like Verstappen, two sets of the yellow mediums new and one set of the hardest tyre left. So the Dutchman doesn't seem to have to worry about the two drivers in orange at the start.