# Slick Tyre Gamble Hurts McLaren and Ferrari

> McLaren and Ferrari's slick tyre gamble backfires at Bahrain GP in Malaysia.
- Title: Slick Tyre Gamble Hurts McLaren and Ferrari · Autosport
- Summary: McLaren and Ferrari's slick tyre gamble backfires at Bahrain GP in Malaysia. McLaren and Ferrari's choice of slick tyres for Bahrain GP in Malaysia led to…
- Keywords: bahrain gp, mclaren, ferrari, slick tyres, bahrain, malaysia, formula 1, tyre strategy, race delay, sports, cars, Slick
- Source: Autosport — https://autosport.com/f1/news/the-slick-tyre-gamble-that-hurt-mclaren-and-ferraris-bahrain-f1-chances/10861972
- Author: Jake Boxall-Legge
- Published: 2026-10-04T13:14:54+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bahrain gp, mclaren, ferrari, slick tyres, f1, bahrain, malaysia, formula 1, tyre strategy, race delay, sports, cars
## Bahrain GP in Malaysia
McLaren and Ferrari split strategies for Bahrain GP in Malaysia after starting with slick tyres.
## Slick Tyre Choice
Ferrari used soft compound tyres while McLaren chose medium tyres for the restart.
## Wet Conditions
The Sepang circuit remained too slippery for slick tyres despite drying out.
## McLaren's Adjustment
McLaren stopped early to give Oscar Piastri intermediates before the start.
## Ferrari's Sticking Point
Lando Norris and Ferrari stuck with slick tyres despite wet conditions.
## Lando Norris' View
Norris said slick tyres felt risky on wet Sepang with poor grip after one lap.

> It felt maybe a little bit of a risk, because a slick on a wet track is always a bit of a risk
## Charles Leclerc's Analysis
Leclerc explained rough tarmac caused water pooling and slow drying.
## Hamilton's Strategy
Hamilton stuck with soft tyres despite early pit stops to wait for track drying.

> We just had to stick with it. As everyone’s overtaken me, they [the engineers] were like, 'we stop.'
## Race Outcome
Hamilton recovered to third after track dried, but McLaren and Ferrari struggled.

> And once it did, it felt good that I was catching people. The car felt great then after that
## Key takeaway

McLaren and Ferrari's choice of slick tyres for Bahrain GP in Malaysia led to poor performance due to wet conditions.