Battle between Mercedes and Red Bull: possible tyre strategies

Mercedes and Red Bull Racing will fight for the world title in Abu Dhabi. While Max Verstappen has the advantage of starting the race from pole position, Lewis Hamilton will start on a different tyre. It therefore looks like it will come down to the details on Sunday afternoon, Pirelli reveal.

Hamilton starts the race in Abu Dhabi on the yellow tyre, of which he has two sets left. The situation is different for Verstappen, as the Dutchman only has one set of used yellow tyres left in his collection. It gives Verstappen fewer opportunities in this respect.

The leader of the world championship will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the softest, red compound. Verstappen has three sets of that tyre left, all of which he has used at some point this weekend. Hamilton has one set less of the red compound, giving the Red Bull driver an advantage in that respect. Verstappen has two unused sets of the hardest compound, while Hamilton has one set of the same number.

Here’s what everyone’s got in their #F1shoe closet. What would you wear? #Fit4F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/M3NNj9Op2V

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) December 12, 2021

Red Bull's expected strategy

With Verstappen starting Sunday afternoon on the softest compound, there's a good chance he'll be the first to go in for a tyre change. He will therefore try to pull away from Hamilton as much as possible in the early stages of the race, to get back in front after Hamilton's first pit stop.