Max Verstappen has put himself in a unique strategic position for the Grand Prix after Red Bull changed its tyre plan during the weekend. The four-time world champion is the only driver in the top eight to have a new set of every available compound, giving him significantly more flexibility during the race.
Verstappen began the weekend with two sets of C4 soft tyres, but Red Bull quickly decided that preserving them could be more valuable than using them during practice.
Verstappen, Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad were the only drivers to complete the entire opening practice session on soft tyres. Verstappen immediately showed the potential of the compound by setting the fastest time of the session.
Verstappen changes plan after medium-tyre test
The Red Bull driver then switched to medium tyres at the beginning of FP2. However, the test did not produce the expected result, with Verstappen concluding that the medium compound did not feel better than the soft tyre.
That prompted Verstappen and Red Bull to abandon their original plan. A second soft-tyre run, which was expected to include a qualifying simulation, was cancelled.
The decision meant Verstappen could preserve additional soft tyres while gathering information about the harder compounds.
The strategy became even clearer when Verstappen was asked during the FIA press conference whether he had sacrificed enough for the race. Following the session, he handed back a set of hard tyres that he had not used.
That suggested Red Bull was deliberately keeping its options open rather than committing to a conventional practice programme.
Verstappen preserves options for the race
Verstappen continued that approach in FP3, beginning the session on medium tyres rather than using another set of softs.
As a result, his remaining tyre allocation is unusual. He has just one set of hard tyres and one set of mediums available, but crucially, the compounds he has retained are in a condition that gives him greater strategic flexibility.
Most importantly, Verstappen is the only driver inside the top eight with a new set of hard, medium and soft tyres.
That could become particularly valuable if the expected race strategy changes because of tyre degradation, weather or a Safety Car.
Ferrari also appears to have recognised the potential value of the soft compound. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton still have new soft tyres available, which could allow Ferrari to use them either for an aggressive opening stint or a late-race sprint.
However, there is an important difference.
Ferrari follows a similar path, but Mercedes and McLaren do not
Ferrari used medium tyres during Q1, meaning its remaining medium sets are no longer completely fresh. Verstappen, by contrast, recognised earlier that the harder compounds were not performing as expected and adjusted his programme accordingly.
McLaren and Mercedes largely stuck to their original plans. That has left their drivers with hard and medium tyres available, but without a new set of soft tyres for the race.
The difference could become significant if the soft compound proves more competitive or durable than initially expected.
There is also another driver who has managed to preserve a new set of every compound: Pierre Gasly.
The Alpine driver qualified ninth and emerged as the leading midfield competitor, while also keeping his tyre options open. Gasly used only one set of soft tyres during FP1, helping him preserve additional rubber for Sunday.
That gives Gasly a similar advantage to Verstappen, albeit from a very different starting position.
Verstappen and Gasly can react to the race
The biggest advantage for Verstappen and Gasly may be that they do not need to commit to a strategy before the race has properly developed.
They can use the opening stint to assess degradation and performance before deciding which compound to use during subsequent pit stops.
Several midfield drivers also have unused soft tyres available, but their circumstances are different because they did not need to use soft tyres during Q3.
The fact that multiple drivers have retained new soft sets could nevertheless be significant. It suggests the value of the compound became increasingly apparent as the weekend progressed.
For Verstappen, however, the decision to change course early has left him with arguably the most flexible tyre allocation among the leading drivers.
If the race develops differently from expectations, Red Bull has more options available to it than many of its rivals.
That does not guarantee Verstappen a victory, but it could prove a decisive tactical advantage if the Grand Prix becomes unpredictable.
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Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
At TJ13, Treze covers driver performance, career developments, and key storylines across the Formula 1 grid, while also analysing the technical factors that influence competitiveness. This includes aerodynamic development trends, simulation-driven design approaches, and the engineering decisions that shape race weekend outcomes.
His reporting bridges the gap between human performance and machine development, helping readers understand how driver execution and technical innovation interact in modern Formula 1. Coverage often connects on-track events with the underlying engineering philosophies that define each team’s approach.
With a global perspective shaped by both journalism and technical study, Thiago also focuses on Formula 1’s international reach and the different ways the sport is experienced across regions.
Treze has a particular interest in how Computational Fluid Dynamics and aerodynamic modelling contribute to car performance, offering accessible explanations of complex technical concepts within Formula 1.
