Mercedes has explained why it chose Intermediate tyres rather than slicks for the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, a decision that immediately proved correct once racing began at Sepang. Bradley Lord revealed that the key factor was the team’s understanding of the circuit’s ageing asphalt and its ability to retain water for much longer than many expected.
The choice helped both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell surge towards the front in the opening moments, while several rivals that had expected the Malaysian track to dry quickly struggled for grip on slick tyres.
Mercedes explains its Intermediate tyre choice at Sepang
The start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was highly unusual, at least by the standards of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Heavy rain arrived at Sepang only a few dozen minutes before the scheduled start, forcing the beginning of the race to be delayed and presenting teams with a difficult tyre decision.
Once the rain stopped, many expected the circuit to dry rapidly. That has often happened in Malaysia because of the intense heat, and around half of the grid therefore decided to start the Grand Prix on dry-weather tyres.
Ferrari and McLaren were among the teams that selected slicks. Those that instead chose Intermediates quickly discovered once the race began that they had made the better call.
Mercedes was among them, with both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell starting on Intermediate tyres.
Sepang asphalt gave Mercedes the decisive clue
The obvious question was why Mercedes remained confident in the Intermediate tyre when Sepang has traditionally been capable of drying very quickly. Bradley Lord explained that the answer lay in the characteristics of the track surface itself.
The Sepang asphalt is old, allowing rainwater to settle into cracks and gaps that have developed over time. As a result, the circuit retained moisture for considerably longer than would normally have been expected in such hot conditions.
“The Sepang track surface is quite unusual,” Bradley Lord explained. “Despite the really very hot conditions and equally high humidity, you have to take into consideration that the asphalt at the Malaysian track is very old, so a lot of water remained trapped between the cracks in the asphalt itself. That means the asphalt stayed wet for much longer than someone might have expected.”
The behaviour of the track surface therefore became one of the decisive factors behind Mercedes’ strategy.
“From our point of view, we talked about what type of tyre would be needed to start the race, whether to do it on slicks or Intermediates. We chose the Intermediates fairly quickly simply because we understood beforehand that the asphalt would be wet.”
The tyre question had already been one of the major strategic themes surrounding the Sepang weekend and its Pirelli compounds.
Mercedes waits to see what its rivals selected
Once the tyre blankets came off, Mercedes was able to see whether its competitors had reached the same conclusion.
“Once the tyre blankets were removed, we were curious to see what the others had chosen, but fortunately our team — the drivers, the engineers on the pit wall and the strategists — got it absolutely right and made the correct choice.”
Kimi Antonelli and George Russell both started on Intermediates and were able to challenge for the lead almost immediately. Their progress was also helped by excessive wheelspin from Max Verstappen’s RB22, which had started from pole position.
Mercedes also considered risk in its championship battle
Understanding the asphalt was not the only consideration. Mercedes also had to weigh the level of risk and the importance of keeping the strategies of its two title-contending drivers aligned.
The circuit still contained several treacherous sections, meaning there was little reason to expose Kimi Antonelli or George Russell to an unnecessary gamble. Mercedes also remained focused on securing the Constructors’ Championship as well as the Drivers’ title.
Convincing either Kimi Antonelli or George Russell to take an alternative strategy would also have been difficult when there was no clear need to split the approaches.
In the end, Mercedes’ conservative-looking decision proved to be the correct one. The team left Malaysia with second place, moving Kimi Antonelli closer to the Drivers’ Championship and Mercedes closer to the Constructors’ crown. The latest championship situation can be followed in the Formula 1 driver standings.
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