Ferrari has arrived at Sepang with a visible change to the lower front section of the SF-26 as the first technical developments emerge ahead of the relocated 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix. Mercedes has also brought the opening elements of a substantial upgrade programme, while the latest McLaren package provides another interesting point of comparison as Formula 1 prepares for one of the most complete technical tests of the season.
Formula 1 returns to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the Sepang International Circuit hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix from October 2-4 as the 16th round of the 2026 season. The complete timetable and circuit information can be found in the 2026 Bahrain GP at Sepang weekend guide.
Why Sepang is a complete technical test for the 2026 F1 cars
The Sepang International Circuit measures 5.543 kilometres and features 15 corners, comprising 10 right-handers and five left-handers, together with two long straights. Its layout combines heavy braking, high-speed direction changes and more technical sections, demanding a careful compromise between downforce, aerodynamic efficiency, stability and traction.
Compared with Baku, teams need a much more complete car in Malaysia. Turns 5 and 6 require stability and aerodynamic load, while Sepang’s long straights reward efficiency and top speed. Several slower exits also place additional emphasis on traction and torque management.
The track’s considerable width allows drivers to experiment with different lines. The opening sector combines heavy braking with changes of direction and slow acceleration zones, the middle part of the lap places greater emphasis on balance, and speed and efficiency return to the forefront in the final sector before the braking area for Turn 15.
Straight Mode creates four important zones around Sepang
One of the most interesting technical aspects of the weekend will be the use of Straight Mode. The FIA has identified four sections in which the cars can simultaneously alter the angle of attack of their front and rear wings to reduce drag.
Those areas are the main straight, the section between Turns 3 and 4, the run between Turns 8 and 9, and the section between Turns 14 and 15. Their positioning means aerodynamic efficiency and the management of the active wing configurations will form an important part of the lap.
Overtake Mode could be crucial on Sepang’s main straight
Overtake Mode has an equally clear configuration. The detection point will be positioned at the exit of Turn 15, with activation beginning at the start of the main straight.
A driver running within one second of the car ahead will therefore be able to benefit from the additional electrical profile provided by the 2026 regulations on the following lap. With Sepang’s long start-finish straight, that could make the final corner and the quality of the exit particularly significant when drivers are fighting for position.
The Malaysian climate adds another variable. High temperatures and humidity increase the cooling demands placed on the brakes and power units, while the circuit’s substantial lateral loads place particular stress on the front-left tyre. Rain can also transform conditions within minutes, as has often been the case at Sepang.
Tyre behaviour will therefore be another important part of the competitive picture, with the implications for Maranello explored further in our analysis of why Pirelli’s Sepang compounds could suit the Ferrari SF-26 better than Baku.
Mercedes starts major Sepang upgrade programme
Mercedes has brought its first new components to Malaysia as part of what is planned to become a substantial upgrade package involving areas from the sidepods to the floor.
The first pitlane images show a more pronounced downward slope in the sidepods as they approach the floor. The geometry bears a closer resemblance to the philosophy seen on Red Bull and, interestingly, to the solution McLaren used before introducing its Baku upgrade.
Another particularly visible change concerns the engine cover, which now features additional shark-gill openings. Cooling is clearly an important consideration for Mercedes in Malaysia given the high ambient temperatures and the reliability problems previously experienced by its power units.
Ferrari modifies the SF-26 splitter at Sepang
Ferrari has also arrived with new components, and the most interesting early detail appears in the lower front section of the SF-26 chassis. The first images suggest that Maranello has once again modified the splitter.
This is an important component because it contributes to the management of airflow travelling towards the floor and therefore influences the effectiveness of the underfloor aerodynamics. Ferrari had already worked on this region earlier in the season, making the latest interpretation particularly relevant to the continuing development of the SF-26.
The precise geometry and full scope of the change will become clearer once more detailed photographs are available, but the intervention indicates that Ferrari is continuing to refine an aerodynamic area that has already received attention during 2026.
The development arrives after Baku exposed several compromises in the current Ferrari package. Straight-line performance, aerodynamic efficiency and the operating window of the SF-26 all became important talking points during the Azerbaijan weekend, contributing to the broader discussion over what Baku revealed about Ferrari’s competitive position.
Sepang presents a very different challenge, however. Its mixture of fast corners, traction zones and long straights should provide engineers with a much broader assessment of whether the latest refinements help the SF-26 across several different performance areas.
McLaren moves closer to Ferrari’s sidepod-floor approach
The latest images from Malaysia also provide another opportunity to compare how Formula 1 teams are managing the complex interaction between the sidepods and floor. Although different concepts remain in use, the field appears increasingly concentrated around a small number of aerodynamic philosophies.
McLaren is particularly interesting because the team substantially changed the interface between the sidepod and floor with the package introduced at Baku. The latest geometry appears considerably closer to Ferrari’s solution, even though important differences remain in the overall management of airflow towards the floor and the rear of the car.
That convergence makes Sepang an especially valuable circuit for comparison. The combination of high-speed aerodynamic load, heavy braking, traction, long straights, heat and potentially changing weather conditions should expose how effectively each team has balanced its competing requirements.
Sepang will reveal whether the first upgrades deliver
The opening pitlane images have already provided useful clues, but the true significance of the changes will only become apparent once the cars are running. Ferrari’s splitter modification, Mercedes’ revised sidepod and cooling arrangements, and McLaren’s evolved airflow philosophy will all have to operate across a circuit that demands far more versatility than Baku.
For Ferrari in particular, the weekend provides another opportunity to understand how the SF-26 responds when both aerodynamic load and efficiency matter simultaneously. With the season moving into its final phase and development increasingly relevant to the team’s broader technical direction, Sepang should provide an important benchmark for the strengths and remaining limitations of the current package. Further Ferrari-specific technical coverage can be followed in the ScuderiaFans technical analysis section.
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