Kimi Antonelli said; Mercedes driver: The very rough asphalt of the Sepang Circuit may become a contributing factor if the Bahrain Grand Prix, held this year in Malaysia, becomes the first race in the rain of the Formula 1 season.
The young Italian driver, who has so far played a season in which all rounds took place in dry conditions, believes that the unique nature of the surface of the Malaysian circuit makes it an ideal environment for testing the 2026 cars in rainy conditions.
Thunderstorms are not exceptional in Malaysia; so; Its tropical nature frequently causes heavy rains and thunderstorms during the afternoons.
Antonelli told reporters: “I think this track will be very good in rainy weather. Because its surface has high porosity; Which means that water does not accumulate on it unless very heavy rain falls,” adding that it contains “the roughest asphalt” he has ever seen in his career.
He added: “If it rains normally, this may be the best track to test these cars for the first time in the rain. Because water does not remain on the surface of the asphalt, but rather seeps between its particles. This reduces the risk of slipping.”
On the other hand, Pirelli warned: The tire manufacturer urged the teams to prepare for harsh conditions, and described the “Sepang” surface as “relatively rough,” with characteristics close to the “Bahrain Circuit.”
While Antonelli sees an opportunity in these conditions, his Mercedes colleague and title rival George Russell, who is 66 points behind him in the standings, expressed his concerns about the significant impact of the track on the tires if the weather remains dry.
Russell said: “The biggest difference between this track and other similar tracks is the excessive heat of the tires,” noting that “Sepang” differs from tracks such as “Melbourne”, “Silverstone”, “Monza” and “Canada”, which have gentler surfaces on the tires.
He added: “The high tire temperature will be a decisive factor here. Tires may begin to lose their thermal efficiency even during the preparation lap in qualifying trials. This may make it difficult to approach the vehicle in front of you or to launch a counter-attack after overtaking; But the picture is still not completely clear at this stage.”
With Sepang returning to host a Formula 1 race for the first time since 2017, after moving the Bahrain Grand Prix due to tensions in the Middle East, the teams do not have any recent data on the performance of the current generation of cars on the Malaysian track.
For his part, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri likened the track's surface to "sandpaper", anticipating high rates of tire wear throughout the weekend.
He said: “I do not know the extent of the activities that the circuit has witnessed recently, but the daily rains are enough to erase most of its effects anyway.”
He added: “It will be a difficult challenge for everyone.”
Antonelli is looking forward to regaining his momentum after what he described as his worst weekend of the season in Baku, where he suffered an accident during qualifying, dropping him to 16th place at the start, before making his way to 5th place in the race.
He said: “I did not enjoy driving much beyond the car’s maximum limits. “I felt slower than I should have been, but I learned that sometimes you have to accept circumstances like this.”
He added: “This was the first time I told myself: Do not risk too much, benefit from the mistakes of others, and focus only on reaching the finish line.”
