While Formula 1 has already reached the 16th round of the 2026 season, fans have still not been treated to a wet-weather race under the new regulations – or even a wet session. Rain has threatened on several occasions, but the on-track action has consistently remained unaffected. Following initial concerns about safety in wet conditions, the FIA has made several changes to this year’s regulations. These include increasing the tyre blanket temperatures for intermediates, capping electrical power and, related to that, banning boost mode in the wet.
Aside from that, there are also concerns about the tyres. Several drivers have said that they struggled to get the intermediates up to temperature – and subsequently keep them there. It meant Pirelli was quite keen to have a wet-weather race in Miami, where ambient temperatures are high, while a potential wet race in Montreal was described as “the perfect storm” due to the low temperatures and a layout where it is difficult to get the tyres up to temperature anyway. In Canada, McLaren did start on intermediates, although that turned out to be the wrong choice as further rain failed to materialise. And so F1 is still waiting for its first wet-weather race under the new technical regulations.
Pierre Gasly
While drivers still have some concerns about safety even after the FIA’s changes – Isack Hadjar called it “dangerous” – Pierre Gasly sums up the feeling of many in the paddock: the Sepang International Circuit would effectively be the ‘easiest’ location for a wet-weather race in 2026. “I think out of any track in the season, if one is good for wet, it's probably here,” Pierre Gasly said when asked about a potential wet-weather race by Autosport. “If you'll ask me about Vegas in crazy cold conditions and, well, it still could happen there, but then it is definitely going to be more tricky. But here the track is really rough, it's really hot and there's a bit of elevation change as well, so it should be pretty good to clear the track in terms of water quantity. So I think it will be fine.”
Pierre Gasly’s experiences with the 2026 car in the wet so far have not been positive, but those conditions were not representative of what drivers could potentially face in Malaysia: “The only time I tried was in January at Silverstone, which was horrendous. And then in Magny-Cours with extremely cold conditions, which didn't feel good at all. But I expect it to be in a much better place here.” Carlos Sainz also noted that rain will be a major test for the new power units and harvesting regulations.
Rain on pitwall
The Sepang circuit’s return to the calendar brings both familiar and new challenges, with the hot and humid conditions alongside daily downpours. While Isack Hadjar feels that a wet race with all the current energy deployments would create chaos and prefers a wet qualifying session instead, the paddock prepares for a potential weekend of weather action.
Source: Autosport
