Friday practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was atypical, with lap times four and a half seconds slower than expected due to the poor track surface. Mercedes did not impress as much as expected, and run plans were unusual. The most evident case was Max Verstappen, who normally completes qualifying simulations in the second half of FP2.
With the FIA estimating a 90% chance of rain, several teams played it safe, bringing long runs forward. Verstappen clarified he wanted data in case rain arrived. Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache explained the team prioritized tyre degradation data, specifically the medium compound, noting they lacked prior information. "We didn't want to compromise the long run... in terms of degradation," Wache said.
This underlines that individual lap times after Friday in Kuala Lumpur are pointless; only long runs provide a valuable picture, meaning less significance should be attached to classification than usual. It also highlights that F1 teams' approach in Malaysia differs from a normal race weekend, focusing entirely on tyre preservation rather than balancing qualifying and race pace. Pirelli's chief engineer Simone Berra recorded around two or three tenths of tyre degradation per lap on both medium and soft compounds.
He explained that low grip due to the poor surface exacerbated thermal degradation, creating a vicious circle of sliding and temperature rise. Keeping thermal degradation under control is crucial, especially as the track is 'rear-limited', requiring drivers to protect the rear axle while avoiding overloading the front tyres in high-speed corners.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing