Charles Leclerc was one of the many drivers who raised concerns about the degrading track surface after F1 Free Practice at the Bahrain GP in Malaysia.
As F1 returns to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, several drivers have raised concerns about the track surface after driving the circuit. Despite many enjoying the overall layout, the tarmac may become an issue throughout the weekend. During Friday’s sessions, track temperatures neared 60 degrees, which did nothing to help the conditions.
“Today the conditions were very, very, very poor, and so it was very slippery,” Leclerc said to media after the Free Practice sessions.
“For that, we need to be good at anticipating what it will feel like tomorrow once the track is in better condition. That will be very important for us to do well tomorrow.”
The Ferrari driver topped the second Free Practice session but was not confident the team’s performance would be at its best
Aggressive tarmac makes for interesting strategies
. Leclerc was not the only one to voice his concerns, as Oliver Bearman also participated in the discussion.
“I really enjoy driving the layout. I think the only thing is this tarmac is incredibly rough,” the Haas driver said.
“It’s like Bahrain in terms of roughness, and always with those tracks, you have a lot less grip. The car’s moving around a lot more.
” It’s a bit less fun to drive, let’s say, than some other circuits, probably less fun than it was 10 years ago. I’m not sure. I didn’t drive that, but it’s a really fun layout. It’s just a shame that the tarmac is so aged, but that’s normal in climates like this.”
Since the track surface has not been fully replaced since 2017, it is understandable that it’s rough. As Bearman pointed out, he was not on the F1 grid last time out. That will be another challenge to face this weekend, as the Sepang International Circuit is new for most of the drivers.
Additionally, the racing itself will be immensely different from last time out in Sepang. With the new regulations, battery management and deployment can add another layer of intrigue.
“I wish the Tarmac up was a bit better. It creates character. It’s extremely aggressive. I think the strategies on Sunday will be really interesting.” Alex Albon added.
FP1 and FP2 saw the drivers struggling with grip and tyre degradation, adding another piece to the puzzle this weekend. With most of the drivers racing in Sepang for the first time, the rough track surface, and the conditions, the race weekend promises to be intriguing.
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