Pirelli predicts: Bottas and Verstappen have tyre advantage over Hamilton

After the sprint qualification on Saturday, the drivers are getting ready for the big Grand Prix on Sunday. Max Verstappen managed to overtake Lewis Hamilton in the short sprint race, which means that the Red Bull Racing driver will start from pole position. Because of the new format, the drivers have a free choice of tyres and that might play an important role.

Because, with different possibilities in strategy and teams having different tyres left, there are plenty of options for the teams. Pirelli, however, expects a one-stop to be the fastest strategy. A start on the yellow mediums, followed by a long stint on the white hard tyre. The second strategy at speed is a start on the softest tyre, followed by a long stint on the white tyres.

The teams in the top ten don't seem to go for that choice when looking at the tyres the teams have left. More than half of the drivers don't have fresh red tyres left, but the yellow and white ones. On the grid, we will see the yellow tyre.

In the front, it is Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen who have the tyre advantage. Whereas Hamilton only has two new sets, Bottas and Verstappen both have two sets of yellow mediums and one set of white tyres. That fact will most likely play a role, as Mercedes can drive an alternative strategy with Bottas to beat Verstappen.