Gasly sees Sepang as F1’s best prospect for a wet 2026 race

Pierre Gasly thinks Sepang may suit Formula 1’s first wet race under the 2026 rules, but rain would also test unresolved concerns about the cars and tyres.

GPBeat · Newsroom03 Oct 2026, 18:02 · 1 min

Formula 1 had reached round 16 of the 2026 season without a wet race or even a wet session under the new regulations, Autosport reported on 3 October. Pierre Gasly told the publication that Sepang would probably be the best circuit on the calendar for a wet race. He pointed to its rough surface, heat and changes in elevation, which he thought would help water clear from the track.

Wet running remains a concern. Autosport reports that the FIA has raised tyre-blanket temperatures for intermediates, capped electrical power and banned boost mode in wet conditions. Gasly said his earlier experiences in the 2026 car at a cold Silverstone in January and at Magny-Cours had been unpleasant. Fellow driver Isack Hadjar has described wet conditions as dangerous despite the changes.

Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra told Autosport he would welcome wet running at Sepang to gather feedback from every team and driver. He suggested heavy rain could favour full wet tyres, but warned that a rapidly drying track could cause overheating. Whether it will rain remains an open question.

Source context

Source: Ronald Vording’s Autosport report of 3 October 2026, featuring comments from Gasly and Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra.

Claims and supporting evidence 6

In his 3 October 2026 Autosport article, Ronald Vording reports that Formula 1 had reached round 16 of the 2026 season without a wet race or even a wet session under the new regulations.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Autosport's report on wet-weather expectations at Sepang As reported on 3 October 2026. This is the article's account of the season to that point, not a finding about what happened subsequently.

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Autosport says the FIA's 2026 changes include warmer tyre blankets for intermediates, a cap on electrical power and a ban on boost mode in wet conditions.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Reported regulatory response to wet-weather safety concerns The 2026 season, as described on 3 October 2026. The supplied archive contains Autosport's description, not the regulatory text.

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Asked by Autosport about a possible wet race, driver Pierre Gasly said Sepang was probably the best circuit on the calendar for one. He based that expectation on the rough, hot track and its elevation changes, which he thought would help clear water.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Pierre Gasly's assessment of Sepang Comments reported on 3 October 2026, before any wet 2026 race or session described in the article. Gasly's assessment is a forecast, not an observed wet-race result at Sepang.

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Gasly contrasted Sepang with unpleasant experiences in the 2026 car at Silverstone in January and in very cold conditions at Magny-Cours. Autosport also reports that Isack Hadjar called wet conditions dangerous despite the FIA's changes.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Limits of Gasly's expectation and continuing safety concern Earlier 2026 experiences and concerns reported on 3 October 2026. Neither the earlier experiences nor Hadjar's concern establishes what conditions or safety outcomes a wet race at Sepang would produce.

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Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra told Autosport he wanted feedback from normal wet running with all teams and drivers. He considered Sepang particularly suitable for gathering it, contrasting the circuit with cold, low-energy Montreal.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Pirelli engineer Simone Berra's interest in wet running Comments reported on 3 October 2026. His preference concerns potential data collection; it does not establish that rain or a wet race will occur.

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Berra suggested heavy rain at Sepang could make full wets the preferred race tyre, unlike teams' usual preference for intermediates. He also warned that a quickly drying track could overheat the tyres, and explicitly left open whether it would rain at all.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Berra's conditional tyre expectations and countervailing risk Prospective conditions at Sepang, discussed on 3 October 2026. These are conditional engineering expectations, not measured performance from a wet 2026 race.

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This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.