Following a delay of one hour and thirty-three minutes, the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia finally commenced, and it quickly became clear that intermediate tyres were the optimal choice for the initial laps, despite the Sepang track appearing to dry up.
Leading the pack, both Ferrari and McLaren gambled heavily on dry-weather tires for the resumption of racing. Ferrari selected the soft compound, whereas McLaren opted for mediums. As the action resumed behind the safety car, both outfits immediately regretted their strategies because the track surface remained far too slick.
McLaren quickly abandoned their strategy, bringing Oscar Piastri into the pits before the standing start to switch him back to intermediates, though Lando Norris and the Ferrari drivers decided to persevere. Charles Leclerc eventually headed into the pit lane as the lap concluded, after those on slicks were easily overtaken and distanced by the drivers who had remained on intermediates.
Lewis Hamilton and Norris concluded that they had to live with the consequences of their decision. Although Hamilton was asked about making another pit stop, the seven-time world champion argued that staying out on the gamble made sense since they were already far behind, and a pit stop would only result in additional time loss.
As the eighth lap drew to a close, lap times on dry tires matched those of the intermediate users, and Valtteri Bottas’ subsequent trip off the track offered the intermediate-shod field an opportunity to transition to slicks.
Discussing the choice, Norris explained that the prospect of beginning on slicks seemed highly persuasive and that he had doubts about the intermediates’ durability. During his reconnaissance lap, the British driver noted that the green-striped tires were already wearing out rapidly on Sepang’s abrasive asphalt.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images
“It seemed like a bit of a gamble, as running slicks on a damp circuit is always risky,” Norris explained. “However, with several others making the same choice, it seemed highly probable at the moment that it would turn out to be the correct move.
“During the reconnaissance laps on the intermediates under comparable conditions, the grip level was high, but my set was totally ruined after just a single lap.
“I felt certain that a dry tire would perform, but that was likely because of my lack of experience with the intermediate. Somehow, the conditions felt deceptively better than they actually were.
“Had we gathered data on the intermediate from a prior race weekend, I might have read the situation better. Nevertheless, we were persuaded by it, just like many other drivers.
“In the end, Oscar made the correct call by pitting, while we simply made the wrong choice today.”
Leclerc suggested that the abrasive track texture made assessing the surface conditions challenging, as moisture gathered in the track’s crevices, and the cooler air following the storm meant the asphalt dried much slower than anticipated. The prolonged rain quickly stripped away any remaining track heat.
Although the driver from Monaco changed his tires, the time lost during his post-start pit stop relegated him behind Hamilton, who extended his stint on softs and rapidly started overtaking rivals.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images
Hamilton jokingly remarked that he would avoid gambling with his crew after their high-stakes decisions faltered, though he commended the team’s tactical choice to leave him out on the track. While the British driver found the medium compound less impressive after his pit stop on lap 31, a late Virtual Safety Car (which escalated to a full Safety Car) offered an opportunity to switch back to softs, enabling him to overtake Isack Hadjar for a third-place finish.
“When we exited the pit lane, the heavy spray trailing from Max’s car made me realize, ‘Well, that’s it. My race is in major jeopardy,'” Hamilton recalled.
“We simply had to persevere. While other cars were passing me, the team suggested pitting, but I pointed out that we had already lost so much time. What difference would it make when I was already more than a minute and a half behind? So I decided we should just wait for the line to dry up.
“And once the track dried, it was satisfying to start closing the gap on the cars ahead. The car’s handling was fantastic from that point on. The pit crew did an outstanding job, and the strategy was spot on. I never expected us to secure a podium finish today, and I am incredibly thankful that we made it back up here.
“We are going to have a very transparent conversation, and I am immensely proud of the team. The tireless efforts of the mechanics, the trackside engineers, the catering staff, and everyone else who travels to these races is incredible—they truly give everything they have.
“Their dedication is unquestionable. We clearly have aspects of our performance that require attention, and we are fully aware of that without any illusions. I expect a highly productive discussion, after which we will regroup, build on the positives—especially the strong pace of the car— and return ready to fight at the next race.”
