Hamilton frustrated by Mercedes' limited supply of hypersoft tyres

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Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes' decision to take on only a limited set of hypersoft tyres for the Canadian Grand Prix weekend was perhaps not ideal in hindsight.

The German squad's drivers refrained from using Pirelli's pink-rimmed softest compound on Friday in order to preserve its inventory. But Hamilton rued the lack of running.

"Ultimately we don’t have as many hypersofts as everyone else," said the four-time world champion.

"I don’t know if people watching know, but they [the teams] have to select quite far ahead and from the [pre-season] test when the tyres didn’t last, that was the information we got then.

"We planned for a different strategy from what everyone else got."

Ricciardo impressed by Mercedes pace on harder tyre

Indeed, pre-season testing in Barcelona revealed the hypersoft's high degradation level, which in turn enticed Mercedes to play it safe when choosing its sets for Canada fourteen weeks in advance of the event..

"Hindsight is a great thing and naturally it would have been great to be able to try the hyper. Others have.

"We’ve seen some that have degraded a lot and some that haven’t, but [in] P3 we will take it for a spin and look for it."

The hypersoft tyre was raced for the very first time this season in Monaco, and it wasn't an optimal experience according to Hamilton.

The team has since understood how to better exploit the rubber and adapt it W09 to the tyre's characteristics, including degradation.

"I think we have learned from Monaco," chimed in Valtteri Bottas.

"If we could go there again, we would get more out of the hypers. For a single lap it shouldn’t be an issue to get them to work, but we will find out."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.