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F1 Russian GP: Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull split strategies for Russia

Pirelli has announced the tyre choices made by each team and driver for the number of sets and compounds for the Russian Grand Prix, with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull each opting for varying strategies.

Due to new tyre regulations, choices on compounds for long-haul races are made by Pirelli 14 weeks ahead of the race and opted to bring the medium, softs and super-softs for the fourth race of the season in Sochi, with an extra set of super-softs tyres must also be used in Q3.

With the very forgiving track surface around the Olympic site all teams have picked the minimum of one set of medium tyres apart from Manor Racing Team who have picked two sets for each driver.

The strategy differences see Red Bull opting for the maximum allocation of 10 sets of super-softs for both Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat, matched by Haas, while Mercedes have gone a step more conservative with eight sets of super-softs to take two more sets of the softs.

However, Ferrari has selected the most conservative numbers with six super-softs and six softs plus the additional one set of mediums.

Elsewhere, Williams have followed Red Bull's trend with an aggressive strategy of nine supers-softs, three softs and the single mediums with the rest of the field picking a mixture of the two softest compounds and just the single medium sets.

Zdroj: crash.net