What Are the Tyre Options for the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia?

Sepang will put tyres to the test in the F1 landscape for the first time in nine years, after a schedule change will see Malaysia host the Bahrain Grand Prix for Round 16 of the calendar.

In Malaysia, drivers are put under almost as much pressure as the tyres themselves, with extreme humidity and changing weather conditions forcing a unique mix of physical and tactical challenges. A fast-flowing circuit with high-speed corners that can be dry one session, but under threat of torrential rain the next, tyre choices are as critical in Sepang as anywhere on the calendar.

Critically, with the track not resurfaced since F1 last dropped anchor in Malaysia in 2017, high degradation is a real possibility. To counter this, Pirelli has selected their middle specification range of rubber for the weekend. The C4 will serve as the Soft, C3 as the Medium, and the C2 as the Hard tyre, a step harder from the previous race in Baku. Here's how this weekend's allocation looks for the trip to Malaysia:

Additionally, teams have five sets of Intermediates and two sets of full Wet tyres to navigate adverse weather conditions. Drivers reaching Q3 will also receive an extra set of Softs. All drivers must use at least two different tyre compounds during a dry Grand Prix.

Given the penchant for tropical conditions in Malaysia, it would come as no surprise to see teams running both wet and dry compounds throughout the weekend.

What are the 2026 F1 Tyres?

The Pirelli tyres for 2026 are 18-inch wheels. Front tyres are 705mm in height and 280mm in width (a 25mm decrease from previous years) and rear tyres are now 710mm in height and 375mm in width (a 30mm reduction from previous seasons).

In 2026, there will be five compounds of dry tyres to choose from across the season – C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5.