F1 'gamble' an option in Las Vegas before backing the 'favourite'

F1 teams and drivers have the option to take a "gamble" for the start of the Las Vegas Grand Prix before then backing the perceived "favourite" as part of the strategy options.

Following a wet qualifying session in which McLaren's Lando Norris scored pole position ahead of Max Verstappen in his Red Bull, the 50-lap race is almost certain to be run completely in the dry.

That draws Pirelli's three dry-tyre compounds firmly back into the equation when it comes to planning how to tackle the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit.

One of the key considerations is that Pirelli has noticed a lack of graining, ensuring the hard tyre, in particular, will be the key rubber of choice to guarantee a one-stop strategy.

That paves the way for what Pirelli motorsport director Mario Isola feels will be a "gamble" by starting on the soft tyre in a bid to make early headway before switching to the hard compound. 

"Our estimation, in terms of delta lap time between the medium and the hard, is around 0.2, 0.3 seconds per lap," said Isola, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365. "That means that they are very close.

"Obviously, the hard has a better resistance to graining, so it's probably going to be the favourite compound for the race. Talking about the medium and the soft, the estimation is 0.6, 0.7.

"One stop and two stop are very close, and one stop could be medium-hard or soft-hard, depending on what they want to do, if they want to push in the first stint and maybe have a longer second stint on the hard.

"Maybe someone will want to start on the soft because being in traffic is never a good position, so you can gamble by starting on the soft.

"Maybe you can push a bit more at the beginning, knowing that you generate graining, but then you anticipate that at the pit stop, you move to the hard, then you are in free air with the hard, and you can have a long stint without any graining."

The most likely option is starting on the medium before taking on the hard for a one-stop.

The primary two-stop options include a medium-tyre start before two stints on the hard; alternatively, two medium stints either side of a spell on the hard, or two short soft-tyre bursts sandwiching a long middle stint on the medium.

Check out the graphic for the strategy options below, and see what tyre sets are available for each driver.