Key Highlights:
- Formula 1 has completed 16 rounds of the 2026 season without a single wet-weather race or wet track session under the new technical regulations.
- Following driver safety concerns—including Isack Hadjar calling wet running “dangerous”—the FIA introduced rule changes, while Pierre Gasly highlighted Sepang as the ideal circuit for wet conditions.
- Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra noted that tropical rain in Malaysia could uniquely favor full wet tyres over intermediates, though rough asphalt and heat pose new overheating risks.
As the 2026 Formula 1 championship reaches its 16th round, the sport finds itself in an unprecedented scenario: teams and drivers have yet to contest a single wet-weather session or Grand Prix under the current technical framework. Despite rain threatening running at multiple race weekends, competitive track sessions have stayed completely dry. The closest the grid came to wet racing was in Montreal, where McLaren gambled on starting on intermediate tyres, though the rain failed to materialize and exposed the strategy as a miscalculation.
FIA Regulatory Tweaks and Driver Safety Reservations
The prolonged absence of rain has paused real-world evaluation of regulatory adjustments implemented by the FIA. Earlier safety concerns prompted the governing body to revise its wet-weather rules by increasing tyre blanket temperatures for intermediates, placing caps on electrical power delivery, and outright banning boost mode in wet circumstances. Even with those precautions, competitor apprehension remains present; driver Isack Hadjar described wet-weather driving under the current package as dangerous
.
Tyre warm-up characteristics have posed a primary talking point. Several drivers have reported immense difficulty bringing intermediate compounds up to operating temperature and keeping them in that performance window. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly noted that his previous wet tests in the 2026 machinery offered minimal encouragement, though they took place in unrepresentative conditions.
The only time I tried was in January at Silverstone, which was horrendous. And then in Magny-Cours with extremely cold conditions, which didn’t feel good at all. But I expect it to be in a much better place here,
Gasly explained.
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Why Sepang International Circuit Suits Wet-Weather Racing
Looking ahead to the prospects of wet running at the Sepang International Circuit, Pierre Gasly argued that the Malaysian venue offers the most forgiving environment on the calendar to introduce wet-weather action under the 2026 rules.
I think out of any track in the season, if one is good for wet, it’s probably here,
Gasly stated to Motorsport.com. If you’ll ask me about Vegas in crazy cold conditions and, well, it still could happen there, but then it is definitely going to be more tricky. But here the track is really rough, it’s really hot and there’s a bit of elevation change as well, so it should be pretty good to clear the track in terms of water quantity. So I think it will be fine.
Pirelli Eyes Vital Data as Overheating Replaces Warm-Up Fears
Official tyre supplier Pirelli shares Gasly’s view regarding Sepang’s characteristics, welcoming the chance to validate wet compounds in real competition. Chief engineer Simone Berra explained that while a cold, low-energy circuit like Montreal was viewed as the perfect storm
for warm-up struggles, Sepang represents the exact opposite dynamic.
I would like to gather some information because it’s good to have feedback, not just from our tests, but also from normal running with all the teams and all the drivers,
Berra confirmed to Motorsport.com. Honestly, as an engineer, I would like to have some more feedback and data to work with. And, yes, this is the perfect circuit to have rain. When we went to Montreal, I said it would be the perfect storm because it was cold with a low-energy circuit, but here it’s a completely different story.
Instead of struggling for heat, drivers on Sepang’s abrasive tarmac could encounter thermal degradation. The point is that we could end up in a situation where you generate overheating, especially if it’s raining and then dries up quite quickly,
Berra said. So the overheating effect could be important.
Additionally, the sheer intensity of tropical rainfall in Malaysia could upend standard strategic playbooks, where teams typically avoid full wets in favor of intermediates whenever possible.
When it rains here, it’s quite massive and I would see the full wet as the preferred race tyre,
Berra added. That is probably for once, because we know that usually teams prefer the intermediates. But we also know that here it’s often like a monsoon and you need to have proper water dissipation for that. But let’s first see if it’s going to rain or not, because this is probably the first year that we are at round 16 without rain! But if it comes, then I think the full wet is not to be discarded, despite that tyre overheating very quickly. With a high level of standing water, I think it would work quite well.
Why This Matters
The transition to the 2026 regulations introduced sweeping changes to aerodynamics and power units, yet the lack of wet running across 16 rounds has left a significant blind spot for the FIA, Pirelli, and competing teams. Testing and simulator data cannot fully recreate how the cars handle heavy spray, standing water, and low-grip traction at race pace. If rain hits Sepang, Pirelli will gain critical data across both full wet and intermediate compounds, allowing the sport to assess the FIA’s recent safety adjustments—such as the prohibition of boost mode and power limits—in genuine racing conditions before tackling chillier late-season venues like Las Vegas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has there been no wet running 16 rounds into the 2026 season?
While rain has threatened several Grand Prix weekends—prompting bold early strategy gambles like McLaren fitting intermediate tyres on the grid in Canada—weather patterns cleared or missed track sessions entirely, keeping every official 2026 practice, qualifying, and race session completely dry.
What rules did the FIA change to improve wet-weather safety?
In response to driver safety feedback regarding wet grip and vehicle control, the FIA introduced specific regulatory amendments for wet running. These adjustments include raising the operating blanket temperatures for intermediate tyres, placing caps on overall electrical power deployment, and banning the use of boost mode when wet conditions are declared.
Why could Sepang favor full wet tyres over intermediate tyres?
Teams usually prefer intermediates due to pace advantages, but Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra highlighted that Malaysian rain often brings heavy monsoon-level downpours. The sheer volume of standing water requires maximum water dispersal, making the full wet compound an essential option rather than an avoided one, even with overheating risks on rough, hot asphalt.
