Ferrari could find one of the SF-26’s most troublesome tyre characteristics significantly easier to manage when Formula 1 returns to Sepang, after Pirelli confirmed the C2, C3 and C4 compounds for the Malaysian weekend. Higher temperatures and greater thermal degradation are expected to reduce the tyre warm-up difficulties that complicated the Scuderia’s previous race in Baku.
Formula 1 is returning to the 5.543-kilometre Sepang International Circuit for the first time since 2017, when Max Verstappen claimed victory. The venue combines long straights with fast, sweeping corners and significant braking zones, creating a very different technical challenge from the Azerbaijan street circuit. A full overview of the event and venue is available in our Sepang race and circuit guide.
Pirelli selects C2, C3 and C4 tyres for Sepang
Pirelli has opted for the C2, C3 and C4 compounds rather than moving towards the hardest end of its range, despite Sepang placing substantial loads on the tyres. The intention is to keep the strategic difference between a potential one-stop race and a two-stop approach relatively small, giving teams greater flexibility during the Grand Prix.
The front-left tyre is expected to face particularly high lateral loads through Sepang’s quicker corners, while the rear axle will also be subjected to considerable stress. Managing thermal degradation should therefore become one of the main priorities across long runs.
Weather could have a major influence on that equation. Sudden rain showers are common in Malaysia, while high temperatures and humidity can change rapidly through the day. Even in dry conditions, teams should expect significant track evolution from Friday onwards as the surface cleans up and grip increases.
The Sepang event forms part of the reshaped 2026 Formula 1 calendar after the original Sakhir round was dropped, alongside the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, because of instability in the region.
Why Sepang could ease Ferrari’s SF-26 tyre warm-up problem
For Ferrari, the characteristics of Sepang could remove one of the problems that hurt the SF-26 in Azerbaijan. The Maranello team emerged from a difficult Baku weekend having limited the damage partly because of McLaren’s own difficulties, but its problems were not restricted to the power unit.
Finding and maintaining the correct tyre operating window also proved difficult. Lewis Hamilton explained that one of the main challenges when driving the SF-26 was generating sufficient tyre temperature, particularly during qualifying and at the beginning of race stints on the Soft compound. More coverage of the seven-time world champion’s Ferrari season can be found in our Lewis Hamilton news archive.
That behaviour is less likely to become such a limiting factor at Sepang. Higher ambient and track temperatures should naturally help the tyres reach their working range, while the more demanding circuit layout is also expected to increase degradation. Instead of struggling to generate enough temperature, Ferrari may have to focus more heavily on controlling it across a full stint.
For the SF-26, that could prove important. If the car reaches its optimum tyre window more quickly, Ferrari could recover lap time that was difficult to access in Baku, potentially making Sepang a more favourable environment for the car. The contrast between the two circuits will also give engineers another useful reference point when evaluating the SF-26’s behaviour, with further analysis available in our Ferrari technical analysis section.
Limited recent data increases the importance of practice
Uncertainty remains substantial because Formula 1 has not raced at Sepang since 2017. Some drivers already know the circuit, but the cars used nine years ago belonged to a completely different generation. Teams have therefore relied heavily on simulator preparation ahead of the weekend, although Friday practice will remain essential for validating those models against real track conditions.
The circuit itself has also changed since Formula 1’s last visit. Work has recently been carried out to repair uneven areas of asphalt, while the track has been cleaned in preparation for the event. Sepang remains relatively abrasive, with surface roughness comparable to Bahrain, and the section between Turns 6 and 12 was resurfaced in 2023.
Weather remains Sepang’s biggest unknown
The most unpredictable element could still be Malaysia’s tropical weather. The 2026 generation of Formula 1 cars has yet to experience a wet session, according to the current season context, and Sepang is one of the venues where conditions can change especially quickly.
Heat and humidity could dominate one session before a sudden downpour transforms the circuit for the next. That possibility will force Ferrari and its rivals to gather as much representative dry-running data as possible whenever conditions permit, particularly when assessing degradation and the behaviour of the C2, C3 and C4 compounds.
For Ferrari, however, the fundamental tyre picture appears more encouraging than it did in Baku. The SF-26 will face a demanding test at Sepang, but warmer conditions and greater tyre energy should at least reduce the risk of one of its recent weaknesses becoming the defining limitation of the weekend.
