Pirelli expects three stops in Hungary

Initial running of the super soft and soft tyres indicates that there is an eight tenths of a second per lap difference between the two compounds, with degradation issues suggesting that the prime tyre will be the one used most in the race.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli's director of motorsport, told AUTOSPORT: "It is looking like a three-stop strategy. The current estimates are for about 24 laps on the soft, and then possibly 14 on the super soft - but that will go down as the temperature goes up.

"If it is like that then that suggests the drivers will just do qualifying on the super soft, start the race, and then get on to the soft tyres."

With Ferrari and McLaren having made good progress in recent races to lift their form, Hembery admitted that there was also little difference between the top three teams in terms of tyre wear.

"They are closing up a lot," he said. "And that will be particularly true on a circuit like this, which is slightly unique. It is like a fast road circuit. The Nurburgring was much smoother than we had anticipated and the top three teams are very close together, with similar wear characteristics on the tyres."