Lewis Hamilton revealed it was Mercedes’ decision to start on soft tyres by running them in Q2 during Eifel Grand Prix qualifying.
It has become the norm in recent years for the frontrunners to try and reach Q3 on the medium compound as it opens up strategy options in the first stint of the race on Sunday.
Indeed, at the last race in Sochi, Hamilton was compromised as he started on the soft rubber versus Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen behind on the mediums
At the Nurburgring, it was the Finn perhaps set for the same situation as he had a poor first run on the yellow-striped but instead, both cars were switched onto the softs for their second lap.
“I could have got through on that tyre,” said Hamilton post-session. “I wanted to start on [the mediums], just because I always like to do something different, but the team chose for both of us to be on the same tyre.
“We’ll see whether it was the right choice tomorrow. I’m sure it’s the right choice. I think the other one would have been a little bit harder [to switch on].”
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Interestingly, adding his view, Bottas said he was more than happy to be on the red-striped tyre.
“We tried the medium time this morning in practice,” he said. “But when we had it, it was a pretty green track, so it was quite tricky to get a proper read of the tyre, how it’s behaving when the track gets better.
“So we tried it [in qualifying]. For me, that run was quite poor. I couldn’t get enough temperature in the out-lap to the tyres. So I’m happy to be on the soft.”
In Q3, Hamilton couldn’t match the time he set in Q2, while Bottas produced a brilliant last lap to secure pole, ending the world champion’s five-race streak.
However, starting second, the 35-year-old is still very much in the fight for victory.
“Tomorrow is a long race. We’ll see tomorrow with the weather – it’s a lot cooler here,” he commented.
“It’s not the easiest place to overtake either, but there could be lots of opportunities tomorrow, so I’ll be pushing hard.”
If Hamilton did win, he would match Michael Schumacher’s record of 91, but asked if reaching that mark in Germany, at the Nurburgring, where Michael won five times, would be more special, Lewis played it down.
“Honestly it wouldn’t make any difference,” he said.
“I’ve got my work cut out tomorrow, so plenty to think about. These two [Bottas and Verstappen] are making it hard for me, but I’m enjoying this battle I’m having with these guys.”
