Max Verstappen is the only driver from the field who made the choice to drive on the hard tyre in the second part of qualifying. Because of this, he will start the race tomorrow using this compound. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff calls it a big gamble for the Dutchman.
Loss of positions at the start
"When you start on the hard tyre, it becomes very difficult to hold your position. If it really goes wrong, he even loses some positions and then it becomes very difficult," Wolff said to Sky Sports F1.
"You don't get a strategic advantage until those tyres hold out for a very long time. Then you can stop late. Or when the safety car comes out and you don't go in for a pit stop", the Austrian continues.
Big gamble
According to Wolff, the choice of Red Bull Racing and Verstappen to start on the hardest tyre on Sunday is a huge gamble. "For me, these are outsider strategies. But they're further away, so they have to take the gamble."