F1 | Pirelli, Isola: “Qualifying went as expected”

Lewis Hamilton set a new record on the Baku street circuit thanks to a time of 1m40.593s (over two seconds less than the 2016 pole) achieved with P Zero Red supersoft tyres. All drivers ran only supersoft tires from start to finish in qualifying, with Hamilton using a fresh set in Q1 and Q2, before using two sets in Q3. The final qualifying session was interrupted by a red flag three and a half minutes from the end, with Hamilton taking pole in the final rush against his main rivals. Track temperatures at the end of Q3 were around 10 degrees lower than at the start of the session, with the drivers also benefiting from the more rubberised track from previous sessions. The most likely strategy for the race is a one-stop, although it may be influenced by the entry of the safety car.

MARIO ISOLA – CAR RACING MANAGER
“Qualifying went as expected, with a more rubberized track and track temperatures decreasing during the session. Most teams completed one lap out of the pits, plus a further warm-up lap before setting the best times, but this was not possible following the red flag at the end of Q3. However, the fastest laps came in the final sprint. Looking at the race, it is clear that wear and degradation are very low, even on supersoft tyres; for this reason we expect a one-stop strategy, with the drivers making the most of the supersoft tires as much as possible. The race could see the entry of the safety car or accidents occur: teams will need to be able to take advantage of ever-changing circumstances.”