Ferrari made an encouraging start to the Sepang weekend in Malaysia, with Charles Leclerc setting the fastest time in Friday practice, but Fred Vasseur has identified tyre degradation as the defining challenge for the rest of the Grand Prix weekend.
The conditions are markedly different from Ferrari’s recent races in Madrid and Baku, where tyre wear was almost negligible. At Sepang, the team is instead dealing with a loss of around two to three tenths of a second per lap through degradation, creating a much greater need to balance outright performance with tyre management.
Fred Vasseur warns Ferrari over Sepang tyre degradation
“Without doubt, the main theme of the weekend is tyre degradation,” Fred Vasseur explained after Friday practice. “In the last few races we didn’t have to pay attention to this aspect because degradation was practically zero in Madrid and Baku. Here, however, you lose two or three tenths per lap, and losing more than that would mean quickly finding yourself towards the back.”
The tyre behaviour was already a major concern during the opening session, when Ferrari encountered significant degradation and difficult SF-26 balance. Those characteristics make the evolution of the circuit particularly important as the weekend progresses.
Sepang track evolution becomes another key variable
Friday began with the Malaysian circuit in poor condition, leaving Formula 1 teams with limited grip and an especially difficult task when trying to predict how the asphalt will change before qualifying and the race.
“We didn’t find the track in good condition,” Fred Vasseur added. “It will definitely improve, and how much it improves will be a key factor because everyone will make estimates, effectively betting on how much the track conditions will improve. We know we have a lot of work to do.”
Charles Leclerc reached a similar conclusion after setting the Friday benchmark, warning that both track evolution and persistent tyre degradation could shape Ferrari’s Sepang weekend. The changing grip level means the setup that works in the opening sessions may not necessarily provide the best compromise once more rubber has been laid down.
Ferrari must stabilise the SF-26 rear end
There are nevertheless reasons for Ferrari to view the weekend with some optimism. The SF-26 has generally performed well at circuits where tyre degradation has played a decisive role, with Barcelona providing one example of the car coping effectively with that type of challenge.
Friday’s performance also showed progress as the team worked on its setup, with the SF-26 responding to significant balance changes during FP2 and Charles Leclerc ending the session at the top of the timesheets.
Ferrari could therefore be genuinely in contention at Sepang, provided it can address the instability seen at the rear of the SF-26 on Friday. Managing that weakness while keeping tyre degradation under control will be central to extracting the car’s potential as track conditions continue to evolve.
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