Pirelli & C S p A : 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Saturday

Although the compounds coming to Baku this year are a step softer compared to 2019, it's still likely to be a one-stop race.
Those obliged to start on the P Zero Red soft tyre - in other words, the top 10 - are likely to use a soft-hard strategy, even though this gives much less flexibility in the pit stop window.
Another good option - which can be used by those outside the top 10 - is to use the P Zero Yellow medium and P Zero White hard compounds: especially if we experience track temperatures in excess of 50 degrees.
If those are the tyres being used, it makes sense to start on medium and then move to hard: there's quite a wide pit stop window that leaves plenty of latitude for the timing of the pit stop and the pit lane penalty here isn't huge either.
On the other hand, there's a big probability of the safety car, as all the red flag stoppages in qualifying showed. If there's a safety car period this gives the opportunity for a 'free' pit stop, so starting on the softer and faster tyre could be advantageous. Unlike Monaco though, track position isn't absolutely everything here: it's very possible to overtake.