Sainz predicts Monaco qualifying will be 'absolute madness'

Renault's Carlos Sainz is predicting a crazy hour of qualifying Saturday afternoon in Monaco, thanks to Pirelli's new hypersoft tyre.

The pink rubber will be the compound of choice for teams this weekend, with Pirelli predicting the fast tyre won't even require a two-stop strategy on Sunday.

Several drivers sampled the hypersoft rubber in Barcelona last week, reporting back with good impressions, both in terms of degradation and performance.

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"It is quite impressive, that tyre, I must say," said Sainz.

"It gives easily a second per lap, and we're at Barcelona where the last sector normally you arrive with the tyre quite on the limit.

"This tyre around Monaco could be something special. We will see very quick laptimes if that is the case. I would be prepared to see lap records in Monaco again."

Sainz is therefore predicting a frenzy in the grid-defining Saturday session.

"Absolutely madness. It will be crazy," he said.

"Already last year with the new cars it was something incredible, and this year, two steps softer compound and the tyre that for me is the best tyre Pirelli has done in a lot of years, it's going to be crazy."

Pirelli's Mario Isola is expecting next month's Canadian Grand Prix to provide a better indication of the hypersoft tyre's true potential.

"While the soft, super and ultra are quite close, the hyper is a step," he said.

"The point is that Monaco is also a unique circuit, so I'm not sure if we can see the real potential of the hypersoft in Monaco – we'll probably see something more in Montreal about the hypersoft.

"Monaco is very, very low severity."

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