Pirelli announces tyre choices Russian Grand Prix

Published on 19 September 2018 by Mike Motilall

Pirelli, Formula 1’s sole tyre supplier, has announced the tyre choices the different teams have made for the Russian Grand Prix. During the race weekend in Sochi, and just like in Singapore, the teams have the soft, ultra-soft and hyper-soft compound tyres at their disposal.

This race weekend again Mercedes appears to be going for a more reserved strategy. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are both bringing along two sets of the softs, four ultra-softs and seven of the hyper-softs to Russia. Conversely, Ferrari and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing have gone for eight or nine sets of the pink striped tyre.

Renault is on the attack, they have opted to run on no less than ten sets of the hyper-softs. This leaves Carlos Sainz (two sets) and Nico Hulkenberg (one set) with not much choice regarding the ultra-softs.

Usually there is almost no tyre degradation on the 5,848 km. long Sochi Autodrom, so it remains anyone’s guess which pit stop strategy the different teams will be executing.

Tyre selection 2018 Russian Grand Prix:

Driver           Soft       Ultra-Soft     Hyper-Soft
44  Hamilton	   2	        4	       7
77  Bottas	   2	        4	       7
5   Vettel	   1	        3	       9
7   Raikkonen	   2	        3	       8
3   Ricciardo	   1	        3	       9
33  Verstappen	   1	        3	       9
11  Perez	   2	        2	       9
31  Ocon	   2	        2	       9
18  Stroll	   1	        4	       8
35  Sirotkin	   2	        3	       8
55  Sainz          1            2              10
27  Hülkenberg	   2	        1	       10
10  Gasly	   1	        4	       8
28  Hartley	   2	        3	       8
8   Grosjean	   1	        3	       9
20  Magnussen      2	        2	       9
14  Alonso         3            2              8
2   Vandoorne	   2	        2	       9
9   Ericsson	   2            2	       9
16  Leclerc	   1            3	       9