Key Highlights
- Sepang’s abrasive asphalt is expected to create significant tyre degradation and could produce two- or three-stop races.
- Drivers anticipate difficult tyre management, particularly in qualifying and the hot final sector.
- Rain could provide the first major wet-weather test for many 2026 cars, tyres and power units.
Sepang tyre degradation set to shape Formula 1 weekend
Thursday gave half of the Formula 1 grid its first opportunity to properly inspect the Sepang International Circuit after previously seeing the Malaysian venue only on television or experiencing it through factory simulators. The remaining drivers were reacquainting themselves with a track they last raced at nine years ago.
Regardless of their experience level, the drivers agreed on one defining characteristic: Sepang’s asphalt is notoriously rough and demanding on tyres, and its abrasiveness appears to have increased over time. Tyre degradation is therefore expected to become one of the central factors of the weekend, with two or three pit stops considered possible.
That prospect could create greater strategic variety for fans while giving drivers more opportunities to gain an advantage through setup decisions and their approach to managing worn tyres. Carlos Sainz welcomed the prospect of degradation after several recent races in which tyre wear had been minimal.
“Maybe finally we see some deg because it’s been a few weekends now in a row where there’s been zero deg,” said Carlos Sainz. “And it makes the racing a bit less driver dependent. It’s just about pushing flat out, and the car you have, you cannot manipulate the strategy or anything. So I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of deg.”
Oscar Piastri also expects tyre wear to be high after observing the condition of the circuit surface.
“I think it’ll be high,” Oscar Piastri commented when asked about the subject. “It looks like sandpaper out there! So yeah, we’ll wait and see. But I definitely think it’s going to be challenging with tyre deg.“Obviously I don’t know how much racing or track running there’s been recently and, anything that has been, the rain probably washes it off every afternoon anyway. I think it’s going to be a pretty tough weekend, from every angle.”
Kimi Antonelli faces different qualifying and race challenge
World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli said tyre management will be crucial in both qualifying and the race. The Mercedes driver contrasted Sepang with the three events held after the summer break, where new asphalt produced little or no degradation.
“It’s going to be completely different to what we had in these three races after the summer break because they were all new tarmac, no deg,” said the Mercedes driver. “Baku was a funny one, because the more you pushed, the better it was for the tyres, so this one is going to be completely different.
“I just did the track walk, and it’s the roughest track tarmac that I’ve seen. Probably it’s similar to Bahrain in some places, maybe even more. So it might be a scenario where we see two, three stops in the race, also because it’s so hot. So it’s going to be interesting, but definitely very different driving, very different approach, because it’s not only about long runs.
“It’s going to be also about single lap, trying to extract the maximum grip over one lap, because tyres are not going be happy, especially when you come to Sector 3. They’re going to be screaming quite a lot…“It’s going to be a new challenge, different to what we’ve been used to, and also practice I think you’re going to have limited laps, especially when you try Quali simulation. So it’s going to be important to be on top of it straight away.”
Sepang’s long straights are expected to create overtaking opportunities, but Mercedes driver George Russell warned that tyre overheating could make it more difficult for cars to follow closely. He compared the circuit with other so-called “yo-yo” tracks, where drivers can move in and out of a close following range.
“I think the big difference on this circuit compared to other so-called ‘yo-yo’ circuits is the tyre overheating,” he said. “Circuits such as Melbourne, Silverstone, Monza, there wasn’t actually that much tyre overheating from the surface. Canada as well.
“That kind of allowed the drivers to stay a little bit closer, within that one second. Even in Baku it was quite cool, the drivers could stay close.“Whereas here, surface overheating is going to be a huge thing. You’ll be overheating the tyres even on the out lap of a Qualifying session, which may make it more challenging to follow closer and to re-attack once you’ve been overtaken. But that’s a total unknown, currently.”
Rain could test 2026 Formula 1 cars and power units
Rain is another major storyline at Sepang, with a heavy downpour on Wednesday afternoon offering the paddock an early indication of the conditions that could develop during the weekend. Although this is Round 16 of the World Championship, there has not yet been a properly wet official session.
Many teams and drivers consequently have little or no experience running the 2026 cars in wet conditions. Ferrari and Red Bull are among the teams that have completed Pirelli testing, but the broader field still faces an important unknown if rain arrives.
Lando Norris said the cars have improved since the start of the season, but wet running remains a new experience for many drivers.
“I’ve not driven in the wet in this car, so it is still a completely new experience for us,” said Lando Norris. “Obviously, things have improved a lot since the beginning of the year, which makes some of the concerns less. But it’s still a new experience, so that’s something we have to be ready for, and prepare for.”
Wet-weather running would test more than tyre performance. Teams would also need to manage the power units, including power delivery, downshifts, harvesting and variability from corner to corner. Sainz expects those factors to make a wet Sepang session particularly demanding.
“It’s a good test for sure, if it rains,” said Sainz. “I think with all the issues we have with downshifts, with harvesting, power variability corner to corner, the wet is going to be a challenge for sure, both from a tyre standpoint – from what I heard, this year’s wet tyre and inter tyre is quite a difficult tyre from people that have run it – plus the power unit factor. So it will be for sure a good test.”
Despite the potential unpredictability that rain could bring while he is fighting for the championship, Antonelli is keen to use the opportunity to gather information about the Mercedes W17 in wet conditions.
“It would be very interesting,” he noted. “On one side, it would be nice to do a few laps on the wet because to be fair, this year we’ve been so lucky with rain. We have avoided rain so many times, and we’ve been lucky for sure.
“I think it would be time to just do some laps in the rain, even in practice, just to see how it feels, how the tyre feels, how the power unit feels, how the car feels. Most of us have such little information on or experience on wets. So it will be interesting.”
Why This Matters
Sepang combines abrasive asphalt, high ambient temperatures, long straights and the possibility of intense rainfall. Those conditions could produce a weekend unlike the recent races on new surfaces, where degradation was limited. Teams will need to understand tyre behaviour quickly, manage overheating during qualifying and determine how aggressively to pursue a multi-stop strategy.
The circuit’s open asphalt may also help disperse standing water when rainfall is moderate, while its rough surface and high temperatures could help address some of the temperature concerns associated with the latest wet-weather tyres. A properly wet official session would give teams and drivers valuable operational information about the 2026 cars, tyres and power units.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is tyre degradation expected to be high at Sepang?
Sepang has a notably rough and abrasive surface, and the hot conditions are expected to increase tyre wear and overheating. Drivers believe this could make two or three pit stops likely.
Could rain affect the Formula 1 weekend?
Yes. A heavy downpour already affected the paddock on Wednesday, and rain is considered likely at some stage during the weekend. Many drivers have little or no official-session experience with the 2026 cars in wet conditions.
Why would a wet Sepang session be important?
It would allow teams to assess wet-weather tyres, power delivery, harvesting, downshifts and overall car behaviour. The circuit’s open asphalt may reduce standing water unless rainfall becomes extremely heavy.
