Pirelli expects varied tyre strategies for Bahrain GP in Malaysia

Pirelli expects a mix of two- and three-stop plans for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with little separating its projected race times.

GPBeat · Newsroom03 Oct 2026, 18:25 · 1 min

Pirelli has selected the C2, C3 and C4 compounds for the race in Malaysia, which Autosport describes as the substitute host of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Its motorsport chief, Dario Marrafuschi, expects teams to split between two- and three-stop strategies. He also expects all three compounds to appear somewhere on the starting grid.

Pirelli's quickest projected option is a two-stop race on medium, hard and hard tyres. It estimates that would save about two seconds over a soft-hard-hard approach across the race. A three-stop strategy is projected to be only about five seconds slower than a two-stop, leaving teams with several plausible choices.

Tyre availability could shape those choices. Max Verstappen returned an unused hard-tyre set after second practice, while Charles Leclerc used a hard set in third practice. Autosport reports that both may need longer stints on soft or medium tyres to make a two-stop strategy work. Marrafuschi also raised the possibility of using only mediums and softs, provided the soft tyres are treated gently early in a stint.

Those calculations are for dry tyres. A downpour could force teams onto wet-weather tyres instead, changing the decisions they face during Sunday's race.

Source context

Autosport’s 3 October pre-race report carries Pirelli’s strategy estimates and Marrafuschi’s comments.

Claims and supporting evidence 6

Autosport describes Malaysia as the substitute host of the Bahrain Grand Prix and reports that Pirelli selected the C2, C3 and C4 compounds.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Pre-race tyre-strategy reporting for the event Autosport calls the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Published 3 October 2026, ahead of Sunday's race. The event designation is Autosport's description; no organiser document is supplied.

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Volgens Autosport verwacht Pirelli's motorsportchef Dario Marrafuschi dat teams uiteenlopende twee- en driestopstrategieën zullen kiezen; hij verwacht dat alle drie de compounds ergens op de startgrid worden gebruikt.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Pirelli's forecast of pit-stop approaches. Forecast for the race following the 3 October 2026 report. These are Marrafuschi's expectations as reported by Autosport, not observed race strategies.

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Autosport reports Pirelli's assessment that a two-stop strategy with medium-hard-hard is fastest, about two seconds quicker over the race than soft-hard-hard. Its reported estimate places a three-stop strategy about five seconds behind a two-stop strategy.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Comparative race-time estimates for dry-tyre strategies. Pre-race estimates reported 3 October 2026. The seconds are projected differences in total race time, not measured results or guarantees under changing race conditions.

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Autosport reports that Max Verstappen returned an unused hard-tyre set after second practice and Charles Leclerc used a hard set in third practice. The report says this restricts how they can construct a two-stop strategy.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Tyre-set constraints affecting two named drivers. Practice sessions before the race discussed on 3 October 2026. The source does not establish which strategy either driver will actually choose.

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Marrafuschi, as quoted by Autosport, considers a two-stop strategy using only medium and soft tyres possible if the soft tyres are managed gently early in their use.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alternative strategy without the hard compound. Pre-race assessment reported 3 October 2026. This is a conditional possibility, not a confirmed team plan.

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Autosport notes that rain could require wet-weather tyres, making the dry-tyre strategy forecasts conditional.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Conditions that could alter the dry-race projections. Ahead of the race discussed on 3 October 2026. The passage does not say that rain is forecast or that it will occur during the race.

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