Pirelli sees one-stop strategy as best option at US GP

Pirelli's simulations favour a one-stop strategy as the most effective option by overall race time for Sunday's United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas. A Soft-Medium combination could also suit more than one team seeking the grip advantage of the red-banded tyre.

Pirelli Motorsport director Dario Marrafuschi said the Hard remains a valid option for the second stint, whether a driver starts on Soft or Medium. An early neutralisation could encourage teams to run the remainder of the race on C2; if tyre degradation is higher than expected, a two-stop Soft-Medium-Soft plan could also become attractive.

Pirelli said the C4 had an advantage over the C3 in both grip and lap time, while the two softer compounds were very closely matched in race-pace running. Pirelli also reported track temperatures reaching 40°C, with forecasts suggesting Sunday's peak could be slightly lower. Marrafuschi said the final choices would depend on how track conditions and temperatures evolve.

The time difference between the one-stop and two-stop options is relatively small, Pirelli says, so track position and traffic will also need to be weighed.