Pirelli make key decision ahead of Malaysia F1 return

Pirelli has selected the C2, C3 and C4 compounds for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, as the Sepang International Circuit prepares to welcome F1 back for the first time since 2017.

The race, scheduled for 2 to 4 October, forms the middle leg of a triple-header that begins with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and concludes with the Singapore Grand Prix.

While both Baku and Singapore will use the softest trio in the range (C3, C4 and C5), Pirelli has opted for a harder selection at Sepang, designating the C2 as Hard, C3 as Medium and C4 as Soft.

The middle compound choice reflects the particular demands of the Malaysian venue. The Sepang circuit places medium levels of stress on the tyres relative to all tracks on the calendar, but the asphalt is particularly abrasive and has not been resurfaced since Formula 1 last raced there nine years ago.

Despite those aggressive surface characteristics, Pirelli has steered clear of the hardest compounds in the range. The reasoning is strategic: the tyre supplier wants to reduce the lap time differential between a one-stop and a two-stop race, opening the door to a wider range of strategies on race day.

Notably, the compound choice mirrors exactly what was used at the final Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017. Though the naming system was different then, with Pirelli supplying Hard, Medium and Soft tyres, those selections corresponded to the same C2, C3 and C4 compounds that will be used when the sport returns to Kuala Lumpur in October.

Max Verstappen won that race for Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo completing the podium.