Pirelli has two pit stops in Austria, just like a year ago.

      There will be four stages on European circuits in six weeks, followed by a summer break, and next weekend Formula 1 will host the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

      The choice of compounds remained the same as last year, i.e. C3 is Hard, C4 is Medium, and C5 is used as soft tires in Spielberg. The asphalt surface on the Austrian highway is quite old and abrasive, but Pirelli experts do not consider physical wear of rubber to be the main factor. 

      There are few turns on this 4,318 km long ring, only 10, so the lateral loads on the tires are not so severe, and the degradation of the rubber is primarily due to overheating, since with this route configuration, intensive braking constantly alternates with acceleration. 

      The main difficulties that teams and drivers will have to deal with are overheating of the rubber, primarily on the rear axle. The hot weather is making things worse – temperatures are approaching 30 degrees this week.

      Last year, the most effective tactic was a two-stop circuit. Several riders visited the pits three times, but this was not originally planned, but was dictated by circumstances. 

      Everyone except Guanyu Zhou, the Sauber driver, started on Medium, then switched to either C4 or C3, and only Max Verstappen, who rode them for the last seven laps, and Fernando Alonso, who switched to such tires to drive the fastest lap, and he succeeded. 

      One of the features of the Red Bull Ring is that the track is used quite actively during the season, so even at the very beginning of the weekend there is a layer of used rubber on the asphalt.

      By the way, George Russell won in Austria a year ago, who won the race in Canada a week ago, and there is no doubt that the Mercedes team will try to consolidate its success in Austria. And it's another question whether her rivals will let her.