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Formula 1 drivers have loaded up on hypersoft tyres for next weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, with title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel making identical choices.
Sole supplier Pirelli has nominated the new-for-2018 hypersoft, ultrasoft and supersoft compounds for the event at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez near Mexico City.
Title opponents Hamilton and Vettel will each have eight sets of hypersofts, three ultrasofts and two supersofts.
F1 drivers have overwhelmingly preferred the pink-banded hypersoft compound, with Renault and Sauber selecting 10 sets of the tyre from their allocation of 13.
As usual one set of the hypersoft compound must be set aside for use only in Q3, while either the ultrasoft or supersoft must be run for one stint of the race, assuming dry conditions prevail.
Mexican Grand Prix tyre choices
| Driver | Supersoft | Ultrasoft | Hypersoft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Valtteri Bottas | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Sebastian Vettel | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Kimi Raikkonen | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Max Verstappen | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Sergio Perez | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Esteban Ocon | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Lance Stroll | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Sergey Sirotkin | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Carlos Sainz Jr | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| Pierre Gasly | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Brendon Hartley | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Romain Grosjean | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Kevin Magnussen | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Fernando Alonso | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Stoffel Vandoorne | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Marcus Ericsson | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Charles Leclerc | 2 | 1 | 10 |