Verstappen starts the Chinese Grand Prix with a major disadvantage

Starting from eighth on the grid, it will already be a tough task for Verstappen to achieve a strong result during the Chinese Grand Prix. The Dutchman was not satisfied with his RB22, and Red Bull Racing appears to be the fifth or possibly even sixth fastest team in Shanghai.

The task won’t be any easier for Verstappen on Sunday due to the strategic choices made this weekend. Like all drivers from the top four teams, Verstappen still has two fresh sets of the hard tyre. However, he has one fewer set of the medium tyre than his competitors. Verstappen only has a used set left, whereas all his rivals have both a fresh and a used set of the medium compound.

Unlike his rivals, the four-time world champion has a fourth set of soft tyres available. Given the tyre wear at the Shanghai International Circuit, it’s unlikely that the soft tyre—let alone a fourth set—will play a crucial role. A fresh set of mediums, on the other hand, could give the competition an advantage.

Pirelli lists a one-stop strategy as the most likely option for Sunday’s GP. It suggests medium to hard as the primary option, with soft to hard as the alternative. Those who dare to start on softs will have an advantage in the opening laps, but the sprint race already showed how quickly the tyres degrade. Starting on the medium, or even on the hard tyre, therefore seems more plausible.

The other option is a two-stop race. In that case, you start on the soft or medium tyre, followed by two stints on the hard tyre. The fact that almost all drivers still have two fresh sets of the hard tyre left reveals that most teams are at least accounting for this scenario.