The first telemetry indications from Formula 1’s return to Sepang produced a mixed picture for Ferrari. The SF-26 appeared to be operating outside its ideal setup window over a single lap, but its long-run performance was considerably more encouraging. Red Bull started strongly with a well-balanced car, while Mercedes showed worrying tyre degradation and McLaren impressed with its consistency over longer stints.
The most important factor, however, was the condition of the Sepang circuit itself. The old and abrasive asphalt was extremely dirty during FP1, while track temperatures climbed above 50°C with an ambient temperature of around 35°C. With such significant track evolution expected during the weekend, the opening session offered more of an indication of each team’s starting point than a definitive picture of the competitive order.
Sepang FP1 telemetry offers only the first clues
Formula 1’s return to Sepang is already a welcome development regardless of the technical conclusions that can be drawn from FP1. The Malaysian circuit remains one of the most complete and demanding venues on the calendar, combining long, sustained corners, heavy braking zones, changes of direction and long straights that test almost every aspect of a Formula 1 car.
Performance in the first practice session nevertheless carried relatively limited significance. The dirty surface meant grip levels were extremely low, while the combination of abrasive asphalt and high temperatures placed considerable stress on the tyres. With lap times likely to fall by several seconds as grip increases, the early hierarchy could still change dramatically as the weekend develops.
Tyre behaviour is therefore likely to remain an important part of the competitive picture, particularly given the characteristics of Sepang. The potential interaction between the circuit and the available compounds has already been examined in our analysis of why Pirelli’s Sepang compounds could suit Ferrari’s SF-26.
Red Bull starts strongly with impressive balance
Red Bull appeared to begin the weekend in the strongest shape, which was not necessarily expected on such a complete circuit. The RB22 immediately displayed a good balance both over a single lap and during the long runs, without showing any obvious weakness across the different sectors of the track.
The latest updates appear to have added useful aerodynamic load while still allowing the car to remain very quick at the end of the straights. There are, however, reasons for caution when interpreting the data. Some behaviour in the lower-speed sections of medium-speed corners, together with particularly high straight-line speed peaks, could make the overall performance look more convincing than it really is.
The next question will be how effectively Red Bull can follow the rapid evolution of the circuit. Starting from a strong baseline when grip is extremely low is encouraging, but as Sepang changes significantly, the ability to adapt the setup and rebalance the car could become one of the defining technical challenges of the weekend.
Mercedes shows strong traction but concerning degradation
Mercedes endured a more complicated opening session. Kimi Antonelli encountered several problems involving the electrical side of the car, limiting his programme, while George Russell’s power unit appeared to be used relatively conservatively.
The W17 nevertheless showed excellent traction when applying power out of slower corners. More unexpectedly, it lost a considerable amount of performance at high speed on the straights.
It remains unclear how much of that difference was simply caused by conservative power-unit mappings and how much may also have been aerodynamic. Mercedes is running a major new aerodynamic package, and the increased downforce could also have brought additional drag.
The less encouraging indication came from the race simulations. Mercedes showed particularly high tyre degradation during the long runs, an important concern given that tyre management is expected to be one of the major themes at Sepang. The unusual track conditions mean those numbers should still be treated carefully, but it is an area that requires further investigation in the next sessions.
Ferrari outside the ideal window but SF-26 shows mechanical promise
Ferrari looked incomplete rather than fundamentally uncompetitive. The SF-26 appeared to have useful underlying potential but was still some distance from its ideal operating window during FP1.
The Maranello car seemed to begin the weekend with a relatively low-downforce configuration compared with its main rivals. It looked particularly convincing under braking and through the slower corners, suggesting that the mechanical side of the package was working reasonably well.
The aerodynamic performance was far less effective through the high-speed corners and long, sustained loads. That is especially relevant at Sepang because these sections are among the circuit’s defining characteristics and would normally be expected to play to one of the SF-26’s strengths.
The initial impression was therefore of a reasonably solid mechanical platform that still required significant work on overall balance and aerodynamic stability. Ferrari needs to give the rear of the car greater support and generate more load through the long corners, ideally without paying too large a penalty on the lengthy straights in the third sector.
Further analysis of the SF-26’s behaviour and setup development throughout the weekend can be followed in the Ferrari technical analysis section.
Ferrari long-run pace offers a more encouraging signal
The more interesting signs for Ferrari emerged during the longer runs. The SF-26 appeared significantly more consistent over a race simulation than it had during the single-lap work.
It is still far too early to draw firm conclusions, but the difference between the short-run and long-run performance raises the possibility that Ferrari’s main problem in FP1 was related more to setup than to a structural limitation of the car.
That distinction will be important as the circuit gains grip. If the underlying mechanical platform is competitive, the challenge becomes one of finding the correct aerodynamic balance and operating window rather than addressing a deeper weakness in the package.
The evolving long-run picture across the weekend can also be compared through the ScuderiaFans F1 Practice & Long-Run Analysis, particularly as the teams gather more representative data on a cleaner track.
McLaren quiet on one lap but impressive on tyre degradation
McLaren was perhaps the most difficult team to interpret during the opening session. Its single-lap performance provided very little indication of the car’s usual potential, making the qualifying-style runs largely unrepresentative.
The picture changed completely during the long runs. McLaren showed extremely limited degradation and produced the most consistent lap times seen during the session. On such an abrasive surface and in such high temperatures, that was a particularly significant indication.
If further evidence was needed that aerodynamic load can help reduce degradation at Sepang, McLaren provided a strong early example. Even so, the changing circuit means the significance of that advantage will need to be reassessed as grip levels improve.
Sepang FP1 creates questions rather than a clear hierarchy
The first practice session therefore provided several clues but very few certainties. Red Bull began from an encouraging baseline, Mercedes showed impressive traction but concerning tyre degradation, Ferrari appeared outside its ideal setup window while producing better long-run consistency, and McLaren stood out through its tyre management.
The dominant variable remains the circuit itself. Simply describing Sepang as evolving may understate how dramatically conditions are expected to change. With the surface becoming cleaner and grip increasing, the balance of performance seen in FP1 could look very different later in the weekend.
For now, the opening session was more useful for identifying where each team began than for establishing a definitive competitive order. A clearer picture should emerge only after further running, while the remaining weekend programme can be followed through the 2026 Sepang weekend schedule and circuit guide.
Leave a Reply