As the duel between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton intensifies, the details will become increasingly important in the coming season. The staff in the strategy department of both teams is working overtime every weekend to calculate the fastest strategy. Pirelli has done the same and has come up with a surprising result.
Because the Portimao circuit has little grip, tyre wear is not high. Despite this, the Italian tyre supplier has brought the hardest combination, which makes a one-stop stop on Sunday inevitable. The fastest strategy is from the red softest tyre to the yellow mediums, followed by a strategy of starting on the mediums and finishing the race on the red tyre.
More Tyre Options for Red Bull
The strategic options are therefore in favour of Mercedes, who start with both drivers on the yellow mediums and also have a set of the red tyre left. It will be more difficult for Red Bull Racing as they do not have a new set of the red tyre. They do have a new set of the yellow and white tyre, something Mercedes does not have.
Whether that is an advantage for the team of Verstappen and Sergio Perez is yet to be seen. If it is up to Pirelli it will be Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton who will fight for victory in Portugal.