The race strategy options for the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix

George Russell will start the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix from pole position, marking his second career pole and his first since Brazil in 2022. 

The Mercedes driver is searching for is second F1 victory and Mercedes' first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, which is also when Russell last won.

Max Verstappen starts alongside him and is targeting a big win, having not lost back-to-back races in 700 days!

An eye will need to be kept on the sky at all times, with heavy rain forecast throughout the Grand Prix. That will throw every strategy out of the window. 

Should rain somehow not appear, then these are the expected strategies!

Possible dry weather strategies

Should the heavy rain somehow avoid the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, then Pirelli expect a two-stop strategy to be the fastest option for the 70-lap race.

In the Italian tyre manufacturer's eyes, the best option is to start on the yellow-walled medium compound, before pitting for the first time between laps 15 and 21 for a set of hard tyres. 

Pirelli have outlined the second pit window on this strategy to be between laps 41 to 50, for another set of hard tyres. 

However, if the drivers can stretch their second stints, then moving back to the medium compound for the final section of the race is a possibility. 

To do this, they will need to make their hard tyres last until around lap 43 to 52. For those feeling brave, a one-stop strategy is a possibility for the tyre whisperers on the grid. 

This is possible by starting on the medium compound, before pitting for a set of white-walled hard tyres between laps 26 and 35. 

If the expected rain arrives, then the soft tyre could be seen if a dry line appears during the race.