Ferrari has opted to use more ultra-soft tyres than most of its closest rivals at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen will each have nine sets of the softest tyres available, more than any other team besides McLaren.
Mercedes has been slightly more conservative in its selection and has differed the choices slightly between its two drivers. Red Bull will only use seven sets of ultra-softs having opted for five sets of super-softs for each of its drivers.
Lewis Hamilton won last year’s Canadian Grand Prix with a single tyre stop, switching from ultra-softs to softs on lap 24.
| Driver | Team | Tyres |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | |
| Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | |
| Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | |
| Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | |
| Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | |
| Sergio Perez | Force India | |
| Esteban Ocon | Force India | |
| Felipe Massa | Williams | |
| Lance Stroll | Williams | |
| Fernando Alonso | McLaren | |
| Stoffel Vandoorne | McLaren | |
| Carlos Sainz Jnr | Toro Rosso | |
| Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | |
| Romain Grosjean | Haas | |
| Kevin Magnussen | Haas | |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Renault | |
| Jolyon Palmer | Renault | |
| Pascal Wehrlein | Sauber | |
| Marcus Ericsson | Sauber | |
Dewald Nel (@ho3n3r)
30th May 2017, 11:24
They may as well go back to the 2 compounds per race rule. Nobody will ever be using the hardest compound this year, except maybe at tracks that they avoided the hards where it was traditionally a hards circuit (Silverstone, for example) – and even then I’d say they’d rather go for a quick 2 stopper SS-S-S/SS-SS-S rather than doing 40 laps on mediums.
F1 in Figures (@f1infigures)
30th May 2017, 11:38
True. Last year we had some good races when all three compounds were used, but now we’re back to the boring 2015-like strategies. By the way, will the supersoft tire be one of the mandatory compounds in the race (unlike last year)? Given the durability of this year’s tires I expected the teams to go almost exclusively for the ultrasofts.
Dewald Nel (@ho3n3r)
30th May 2017, 14:57
They will need to run either SS or S at least for one lap if it doesn’t rain, as always. Were they forced to use the Softs last year? I can’t remember, but I do seem to remember a few races where only the hardest tyre was the selected tyre, and it had to be used during the race.
The steps between tyres is just too big, mostly between S to M and then especially from M to H. Nobody in their right mind would want to use these unless they have no choice. I believe that it’s fixable, but not for this year.
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
30th May 2017, 21:38
I disagree, I love how a team could have trouble on the first lap, put on a set of the hardest and try to go the entire distance. It’s the obligatory ‘you need to use two different compounds’ that is really killing the strategy. Sauber for example could really try to do no stop and obviously start on the hardest compound.
Loup Garou (@loup-garou)
30th May 2017, 12:32
Ferrari’s tyre choices seems to suggest that the’ll going all out for the best qualification and early race performance. With only 3 sets if supersofts they will have to use just one set in practice to get its feel and perhaps one other set briefly in qualifying trim, keeping the fresh third set as the race option for the final stint. Slightly risky choice IMO.
Markp
30th May 2017, 13:12
Ferrari and Merc are nearly the same just Hamilton has 1 more ss and Ferrari 1 more us. Just means different strategy in free practice. Come the race they will all start US then make one stop for SS.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
30th May 2017, 17:02
More like HAM 1 more SS and BOT one more S
Markp
30th May 2017, 18:45
Quite right but could only be bothered to compare the lead Merc driver. Same applies Bottas will use a soft run in free practice to Hamiltons supersoft and Ferraris ultra soft resulting with them having the same tyres on Sunday. They will all start on US change to new SS and thats it come race day. If someone gambles on a 2nd stop they will run ised US for a short stint.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
31st May 2017, 3:15
I think it’s unnecessary from Ferrari. Mercedes has the most sensible choice, split between both drivers so the team can assess whether or not to use Soft for the race and whether they can 1 stop which this year not only is working because of the tyres but also because it’s harder to overtake.
AdrianMorse (@adrianmorse)
30th May 2017, 13:09
I wonder whether this year’s ultra soft tyres do not suit Hamilton and/or the Mercedes car. In his years against Rosberg, I felt Hamilton was always a bit better on the harder compounds anyway. Perhaps Hamilton is better off trying Q2 on super softs. Could be a good gambit to start the race on super soft anyway.
Judging by the number of ultra-soft tyres Mercedes selected for both cars, though, they don’t share my misgivings, or at least are not willing to give up that ultimate performance that the ultra soft should offer.
Chinmay Sarupria
30th May 2017, 14:12
Merc can only go for Supersofts in Q2 if their tyres are in the window otherwise the result will be same for Hamilton, he won’t make it to Q3 on Supersofts.
matt
30th May 2017, 14:52
yeah,you could be right.
so far this season it seems like lewis is weaker on the ultra softs,but stronger than bottas on the other compounds,especially in the races.
Kribana (@krichelle)
30th May 2017, 16:00
Good call. But the delta between us and ss is big this year unlike last year. Last year, Lewis said that he didnt feel any difference in terms of pace from both compounds. This year, the delta is even bigger and slightly harder to overtake on track. But Lewis could try ss in q2 and give it a risk.
Loup Garou (@loup-garou)
30th May 2017, 18:36
It seems that way but isn’t there the “track factor” to be considered? On certain tracks the Merc may do as well or better than the Ferrari with US tyres. At present Ferrari seem to have got the balance just right for those fastest tyre compounds.
Canada will be a good test of this comparison and then we have other traditional tracks like Silverstone, Spa, Monza and Suzuka. It will be interesting to see how the cars/tyres perform there.
JohnH (@johnh)
30th May 2017, 14:28
Wow, McLaren really want all those ultra-softs to use in Q3.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
30th May 2017, 17:05
@johnh more like q1&q2. Q3 participants get a free set of the softest tyre which has to be returned after q3
George.be
30th May 2017, 17:45
Of course McLaren goes for the softest of the soft compounds: they expect to race only half the race, anyway :D
Akshat
30th May 2017, 19:39
+1
cartwheel
30th May 2017, 17:53
Makes me wonder why we don’t have a softer compound available as it seems a softer step would be ok for Canada and needed in Monaco…
Also makes me wonder why we have artificial “use this tire” rules…
Would it not be better to have a wider spectrum of tires and let the teams choose what they want? No mandatory tire changes, no restrictions. Just “here are 7 dry compounds, have at it!”…
Sundar Srinivas Harish
1st June 2017, 2:41
The teams would still go for pretty much the same compounds.
As for the mandatory tyre rule, at least it adds a semblance of challenge, as the driver would have to do a stint on a sub-optimal rubber (considering the huge time differences between compounds this year). On low-degradation tracks such as Russia and Monaco, the teams would’ve loved to do the race completely on US so that they can push, or go conservative and aim for no pit stops as the tyres could theoretically last a race distance.
MG421982 (@)
30th May 2017, 19:41
So, Ferrari could be thinking about extra pit-stop too?!
BTW, kinda late, but just realized that white background from Ferrari’s race number is the same style/shape as used back in the Lauda days.
MG421982 (@)
30th May 2017, 19:43
Wonder if Niki noticed it too and if it could be a sign: another title-winning car for Ferrari.
40 Valve Audi (@40valueaudi)
30th May 2017, 23:30
Ferrari has generally liked softer tire compounds over the last couple of seasons. It’s too early to say if they would try an extra pit stop.
iFelix (@ifelix)
30th May 2017, 21:04
OK, so one SS for the free practice, one SS for either another free practice or Q3 and one brand set for the race. 3 set then seems to be enough.
Loup Garou (@loup-garou)
31st May 2017, 7:36
Just about. They have to get all the info that they need about the distance the SS tyres can go with different fuel loads, speed drop off etc with the first set. Since they need background information to compare, my guess is that Ferrari will obtain all the data from a set or even 2 of the US tyres and then use one set of SS to obtain comparative data during P1 & P2. The second set of SS might be used briefly in P2 and then in P3 to verify that data with different settings. The most important thing Ferrari will want to know with the SS tyres is how they perform from half to 2/3 fuel load onwards (thus deciding whether they are going to 1 or 2 stop in the race), thus simulating the second half of the race, which is what they will need the remaining fresh SS set.
That also means that they will only use US during qualification. IMO, 8 sets would have been sufficient for that and so by going in with only 3 sets of SS tyres, Ferrari are cutting things rather fine. A single strategic error during the race could turn out very costly for them.
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
30th May 2017, 21:42
We’ve seen many teams go for different weekend tyre lay-outs but come race day they almost always all start with the same available. Especially the top three teams.
Loup Garou (@loup-garou)
31st May 2017, 9:10
IMO, with their respective tyre set choices, Merc will have an advantage if it turns out to be a straightforward 1-stop US-SS race, as it most likely will be. In the unlikely event that it us a 2-stopper (US-US-SS or US-SS-US), then the pendulum would swing in favour of Ferrari with their extra set of US tyres and the chance to use the SS option on a shorter stint during the race.
There have been occasions in the past where a 2-stop race was quicker than a 1-stop on this circuit. But I very much doubt if that is going to be the case with this year’s tyres. I think Mercedes have got it right for Canada for Hamilton. But the needless additional extra Soft set for Bottas might suggest that they plan to use him as the guinea-pig to help Hamilton.
MG421982 (@)
31st May 2017, 9:44
That’s what I was thinking. Ferrari might be thinking about 2 pit-stops, but don’t think it’ll work this year since the tyres are obivously better than previous years. We shall see…
Henrik
31st May 2017, 17:36
And what if it rains on race day? Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the places where wet-to-dry races are more common than elsewhere (Spa and Suzuka being the other two) and it is not inconceivable that the race will be declared “wet” and teams start on the intermediate. Let’s say it doesn’t rain anymore and that a dry line begins to appear as early as lap 10 with most teams switching to slicks around lap 15. There’s another 55 laps to the chequered flag, so two stints on US or just the one on SS (or possibly even S considering the heavy fuel load)?
Loup Garou (@loup-garou)
31st May 2017, 19:20
I was under the impression that if it becomes a “wet race”, then the usual tyre rules do not apply. If the track is a post-rain one with a dry racing line but wet patches here and there, then the grippier US tyres would be better, I would have thought.
Sundar Srinivas Harish
1st June 2017, 3:16
Team definitely prefer softer compounds because it is easier to get them into the operating windows, and I believe that they would certainly last longer stints.
Sundar Srinivas Harish
1st June 2017, 3:17
*teams would