Pirelli announces tyre choices Japanese GP

Published on 25 September 2018 by Mike Motilall

Pirelli, Formula 1’s sole tyre supplier, has announced the tyre choices the teams have made for the Japanese Grand Prix. During the race weekend in Suzuka, the teams have at their disposal the medium, soft and super-soft compound tyre.

The single thing that is immediately striking is, is the amount of super-softs that McLaren is taking along with them to Japan. Both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne have gone for only four sets of the red striped rubbers. This means that the Woking based team, together with Max Verstappen, does have the highest amount of softs at their disposal, five sets. It would appear that McLaren’s reserved strategy is taking into account a possible grid penalty for the amount of engine components that have been used.

Within the top teams, there are also some differences to be seen. Ferrari with their ten sets, are by far brining along the highest amount of super-softs to Suzuka. As oppose to Mercedes and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, who have gone for just seven and eight sets.

We will not need to wait very long for the race in Japan; it is only a week after the Russian Grand Prix, which in turn will be held this week end.

Tyre selection 2018 Japanese GP:

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