Monaco Grand Prix 2017: first free tyre choices revealed

Monaco is the first race this year where the teams have had the freedom to pick their compounds beyond the mandatory two sets Pirelli nominates to be kept for race day. Up to this point the allocations have been prescribed by Pirelli so that each driver has seven of the softest compound, five of the second softest and two of the hardest.

Formula 1 teams have leaned heavily towards the ultra-soft tyre for the Monaco Grand Prix as they make their own selections for the first time in 2017.

Usually, tyre supplier Pirelli mandates three of the 13 sets per driver, with teams free to make their own selection for the other 10.

But with a new tyre being used for 2017, all 13 sets for each driver have been identical and defined in the regulations for the first five races.

Pirelli is supplying the soft, super-soft and ultra-soft for the Monte Carlo street race, with all teams using the majority of their allocation for the softest rubber in the range.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen along with the Williams of Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg and Jolyon Palmer have chosen the most with 11 sets.

That leaves each driver with only one set of the softs and one set of the super-soft.

Championship rivals Mercedes and Ferrari have slightly different strategies, with Mercedes choosing nine sets of the ultra-softs and three super-softs while Ferrari has opted for an extra set of the ultra-soft rubber.

Jenson Button, who is returning for a one-off appearance in place of Fernando Alonso, is the only driver to have chosen two sets of the soft. Every other driver has only one set.

Toro Rosso has echoed Mercedes’ strategy while Force India, Haas and Sauber are in line with Ferrari.

Source: www.autosport.com