[Jody Barton]

The compounds aren't directly comparable to last year's compounds, but the C5 is essentially the Ultra Soft, the C4 the Super Soft and the C3 Soft. The tyre Deg this year is higher though because of the increased downforce, having said all that last year they could have comfortably done the entire race on the Hyper Soft tyres... So my money is on a one stop. The leader will pootle about at a silly slow speed and get the Soft tyre well into the race without taking the ejection fluid off of the tyres surface, then when they're ready crank out 7 or 8 laps to gap the field and break things up creating a pit window, come in for one set of tyres and then make sure they're ahead at the end of the pitstops and pootle about some more.

[morini]

I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want to take more than the mandatory single set of C4's and C3's. Just go for the C5's and practice Qualifying runs until qualifying. Still, Mercedes haven't made a mistake yet have they?

I think by then of P3 all the top teams will have similar tyres left. I very much doubt Merc have made a blunder. They all need to use two compounds in the race after all

[Jody Barton]

Morini true, but teams get to "give back" one of their sets of tyres after the start of FP1 and receive the same set back. So while I get why teams would want to do much of the early set up work here on the C4's, doing so would mean they get an extra set any way. I too doubt it is s "blunder" but, I thought it was an "interesting" choice. Maybe after last year they're covering off for race pace differentials, and looking at potentially running "long" if part of a train (i.e. qualify in Q2 on the mediums of they don't have single lap pace) because Monaco is a track where the over cut works if you can keep in touch with the leader.

[Monster Hesh]

I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want to take more than the mandatory single set of C4's and C3's. Just go for the C5's and practice Qualifying runs until qualifying. Still, Mercedes haven't made a mistake yet have they?

I think by then of P3 all the top teams will have similar tyres left. I very much doubt Merc have made a blunder. They all need to use two compounds in the race after all

Yeah, its the same every weekend, very rare for team to go into qually with different compounds remaining. Only if there has been an issue in an FP session that we see it.

last year tyre choice quantities were more extreme than this.

[forzaferrari]

Ferrari's customer teams Haas and Alfa Romeo have both elected to switch to the Italian manufacturer's Spec 2 engine for the Monaco Grand Prix.
With Ferrari having gone alone in running the upgrade at Barcelona, both Haas and Alfa Romeo have now confirmed they will run the new power unit in Monte Carlo.

Although the tight and twisty track will not particularly play to any power steps, getting an understanding of its mapping will be important ahead of the next race in Canada, which is more power sensitive.

Haas boss Gunther Steiner said: "I don't know exactly how much the power difference is, and how much the driveability is [better]. But it is energy management and all that stuff, and I don't know the maps. But for sure it will not be worse."

[Monster Hesh]

Last year when a limping RedBull claimed victory...

We haven't heard as much "in the corners" talk from RB this year. New relationship, or Merc is clear favourite? 
Going by F1's "analysis" Merc have held all the cards in slow speed corners, and medium. Only Bahrain has been the anomaly for them so far. So one cant look past another Merc shutout. BOT has never had compelling results here, so a HAM victory.

RedBull need to top all practice sessions, and be clear by 0.2-0.3s to challenge for the front row.
It will have zero effect on the championship, but at least we might see some different colours.

One always forgets in practice Thursday, so all a pleasant surprise, when I do 'member. Plus might dodge the rain on Friday, some possibility of rain on Saturday...

[morini]

We haven't heard as much "in the corners" talk from RB this year. New relationship, or Merc is clear favourite? 
Going by F1's "analysis" Merc have held all the cards in slow speed corners, and medium. Only Bahrain has been the anomaly for them so far. So one cant look past another Merc shutout. BOT has never had compelling results here, so a HAM victory.

Quali is the only thing that matters here so I wouldn't rule out Bottas as (so far) Hamilton hasn't really been stellar in qualifing this season. If I were Lewis I would try and keep some secrets through the practice sessions as I definately believe Bottas is leanrining more from Hamiltons telemetry than viceversa.

If quali is wet it'll be between Lewis and Max IMO.

[Jody Barton]

I think I'll watch qualifying.... and then maybe go watch some paint dry or grass grow on Sunday. Qualifying is the only bit worth watching this weekend as always.

---

PS. IF this isn't another Merc front row lock out I'd be super surprised

[morini]

Only just saw this -> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/48366395

I wonder if Lewis will be at the races this weekend? It must be very difficult for the whole team, but it must have affected Lewis more because of the history and the fact it was Niki and Ross Brawn who convinced him to leave McLaren for Mercedes. Suprprised he's been excused from media duty. If he is distracted is Bottas ruthless enough to take full advanatage?

[PapaofGags]

Only just saw this -> https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/48366395
Suprprised he's been excused from media duty. 

If the grey matters working wasn't Sebastian excused when Sergio Marchionne passed as well, cant be easy for them.