Friday at Sepang was never meant to be this hot and this strange. Max Verstappen was quickest, but the story behind him was far more complicated than the timesheet suggested.
A slippery track surface, extreme tyre degradation, and a rain shower that never came in FP2 forced every team back to the drawing board. Haas driver Ollie Bearman summed it up: “It’s been a step into the unknown for everybody.”
At Mercedes, the first major upgrade for the W17 since May’s Canadian Grand Prix didn’t immediately translate into lap time. George Russell was only fourth fastest, 0.383s down. But he insisted the problem wasn’t the new package, but rather the set-up and the tyres. “When you bring an upgrade to any circuit, it’s difficult to know what your pure performance is,” he said.
Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin admitted the team struggled to find balance. Tyre overheating was a major issue, and there was an unusual offset on long-run pace compared to Red Bull. “We’ve got some good ideas for set-up changes to investigate during the overnight simulator work,” Shovlin said. “We’re optimistic that with such a new package, these analyses will bear some fruit.”
Meanwhile, single-lap pace remains a mystery. Verstappen set his best time on a used medium tyre, not a new soft. That suggests the true order is still hidden. The rapidly evolving track makes Friday times almost irrelevant for qualifying predictions.
More importantly, the gaps between the top teams are razor-thin. Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren all have a shot. Mercedes, however, must solve their tyre degradation puzzle if they want to fight at the front.
Tonight, the engineers will burn the midnight oil, data will be crunched, and hopefully Saturday will provide a clearer picture. One thing is certain: the Sepang weekend will be fierce and full of surprises.
Baca Juga
Lewis Hamilton hanya mendapat peringatan usai menghalangi Gabriel Bortoleto di FP2 MotoGP Malaysia. Ferrari didenda 10.000 euro karena tak beri informasi.
Analisis Jumat F1 2026 di Sepang: Verstappen tercepat, Mercedes kesulitan dengan upgrade W17, dan degradasi ban jadi faktor penentu.
Otro Capital dikabarkan tengah menjajaki pembelian saham Grand Prix Miami hingga 20%. Langkah ini menjadi sinyal kepercayaan terhadap prospek jangka panjang F1 dan Miami GP.
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