Red Bull difference emerges with 'surprising' Dutch GP decision

Red Bull Racing made a strategic decision to use a new set of hard compound tyres during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix, a move that surprised Pirelli's chief, Simone Berra. While Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson opted to use one of their two sets of hard tyres, drivers from Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren chose not to, leaving them with two sets available for the race. This decision could impact their race strategies, especially with Pirelli predicting a one-stop strategy as the most effective approach for the event.

Berra highlighted that Red Bull's choice could create a significant difference in race strategy compared to their rivals. He noted that the damp track conditions at the start of practice may have influenced the other teams' reluctance to use the hard tyres. Despite the potential advantages of having an extra set of hard tyres, Berra expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of a two-stop strategy, suggesting that the teams' decisions might be rooted in caution regarding track conditions and the possibility of a safety car during the race.