When the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia eventually got going after an hour and 33 minutes of delays, it became apparent that the intermediate was the tyre to be on among the opening laps - even if the Sepang circuit had looked like it was drying out.
At the front of the field, Ferrari and McLaren chose to go all-in on the dry tyres for the restart; Ferrari opted for the soft compound, while McLaren went for the mediums. When the race got underway behind the safety car, both teams were left to rue their choices as the circuit was still too slippery.
Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris
McLaren bailed on the plan early, stopping before the standing start to ensure Oscar Piastri could get a set of intermediates back onto the car, but Lando Norris and the Ferrari cars stuck with their choices. Charles Leclerc duly fed into the pitlane at the end of the lap, as the slick-tyre runners were swamped and then left behind by those who'd stuck with the intermediate for the start.
Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris surmised that, since they'd made their beds, they'd lie in them. Lewis Hamilton was asked if he wanted to stop again, but the seven-time champion reasoned that Ferrari might as well stick with the gamble given that the team was well behind - and pitting would only cost more time.
Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz
By the end of the eighth lap, the slick times were now equal with the intermediate runners; Valtteri Bottas' subsequent off then presented the inter-shod drivers with the chance to switch to slicks. Lewis Hamilton ultimately used a late safety car to switch back to softs and snatch a brilliant podium finish by passing Isack Hadjar.
Source: Autosport
