Verstappen left with one fresh hard-tyre set after Red Bull return

Red Bull returned an unused hard-tyre set after practice, leaving Max Verstappen with one fresh set for the race at Sepang.

GPBeat · Newsroom03 Oct 2026, 14:29 · 1 min

RacingNews365 Nederland reports that Pirelli confirmed Red Bull handed back an unused hard-tyre set allocated to Max Verstappen after the second practice session at Sepang. Teams must return two tyre sets after each practice session, the outlet says. Verstappen did not use the hard compound in practice and has one fresh set available for the race.

Charles Leclerc also has one fresh hard-tyre set, having used the compound in final practice. Verstappen reached the same position without running on it; why Red Bull chose to return an unused set remains unclear.

Source context

RacingNews365 Nederland, 3 October 2026, reports Pirelli’s reply to its enquiry about the returned set. The tyre figures and Leclerc comparison come from the same report.

Claims and supporting evidence 6

RacingNews365 reports that Red Bull surrendered an unused hard-tyre set and says Pirelli confirmed this in response to its inquiry. The Pirelli confirmation is reported by the outlet; no Pirelli document was supplied.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Red Bull's return of one unused hard-tyre set allocated to Verstappen after the second free-practice session. After Friday's second free-practice session, ahead of the October 2026 race The actual Pirelli tyre list and Pirelli's response were not supplied separately.

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According to RacingNews365, Verstappen did not drive on hard tyres in free practice. It reports that he had one new hard-tyre set left after the second session and still describes him as having one new set for the race.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Verstappen's hard-tyre use and remaining new sets. Free practice through the pre-race report These are the outlet's reported tyre-use and allocation figures, not independently checked timing or tyre records.

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RacingNews365 says teams must return two tyre sets to Pirelli after each free-practice session. That requirement provides context for the reported return, but the regulations themselves were not supplied.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. The reported requirement to return tyre sets. The free-practice sessions at this race weekend This is the outlet's account of the rule, not a direct citation of the regulations.

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The report says Charles Leclerc also had only one new hard-tyre set for the race, after he ran on the hard tyre in the third free-practice session. Verstappen was therefore not the only driver the report placed on one new set, although their reported routes to that position differed.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Comparison with another driver's remaining new hard-tyre sets. After the third free-practice session, before the race The comparison is based on the single supplied report.

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RacingNews365 attributes strategic importance to the hard tyre on Pirelli's behalf and reports that several drivers predicted a race with two or three pit stops. These are pre-race assessments, not an observed outcome.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Pre-race assessment of tyre strategy. Before the race The supplied page does not identify the predicting drivers or provide their statements directly.

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The report uses the phrase 'Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia' while identifying Sepang as the circuit. The supplied document does not establish an unambiguous official event name.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Identification of the race in the supplied page. October 2026 race weekend No independently read calendar or event document is available to resolve the naming.

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