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(Motorsport-Total.com) – Mercedes surprised at the end of Q3 in Portimao with the decision to send both drivers for the last attempt on the harder medium tires (Formula 1 2020 live on ticker). According to Lewis Hamilton, the team has let the drivers decide which tires they want to use on the track.
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Lewis Hamilton set his best time on medium tires Focus
For the first time in Q3, Hamilton and his teammate Valtteri Bottas used softer soft tires but, contrary to usual practice, both opted for the medium tire. Hamilton even drove a bit earlier to try again – the right decision.
“Valtteri was the fastest all weekend,” said Hamilton, who was 0.102 seconds ahead of his teammates on his second lap. “I didn’t know if I could handle a lap that could go on. I always had a second or half a tenth of a second to go, but the final decision gave me a chance.”
“I liked the prospect of an extra lap, so I decided to do it. And Valtteri only drove one lap, but he still showed a great performance,” said Hamilton. “It was very, very difficult and I had to get it all out. Fortunately, I was right in the last sector.”
Hamilton says choosing medium tires was actually counterintuitive because the soft tire is usually the fastest on a lap. At Portimao, however, the drivers struggled to warm up the tire, so it could not offer the usual advantage over the harder tire.
The two Mercedes will also face the race on medium tires. “I think it will be a very difficult race,” said Hamilton. “Especially the harder tire does not work for several laps. So it will be interesting at the beginning.”
“Of course we will lose a little bit of performance compared to Max and the guys behind at Soft. But I really don’t know what to expect tomorrow. It could rain and if that happens it will be the hardest day for all of us. Wind and Rain , that would really be like ice. “
