As The Race reports, the start of Formula 1’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was delayed by a massive downpour that completely soaked the track, teams, and drivers on the starting grid. The rain began to fall 45 minutes before the scheduled start of F1’s first race at Sepang in nine years, intensifying into far too much standing water for the race to begin alongside thunder and lightning in the distance.
Around the time of the initial planned start time, the medical car completed laps of the circuit and quickly reported that the conditions were simply not suitable for racing. Adding to the chaos, the FIA's weather radar went down 15 minutes before the initial start time, before finally coming back online around 25 minutes later.
Both from a tyre standpoint, from what I heard, this year's wet tyres and intermediate tyres, it’s quite a difficult tyre for people that have run it, plus the power unit factor.
The delay paved the way for the formation lap to be scheduled for 4.40pm local time, after the 10-minute signal was issued half an hour after the initial start time. This situation marks a huge step into the unknown for all the 2026 F1 drivers, serving as the very first properly rain-affected session of the new regulations.
“[It will be] a good test for the regulations also because I think with all the issues we have with downshifts, with harvesting, power, variability, corner to corner, the wet is going to be a challenge, for sure,” Sainz said on the prospect of rain ahead of the weekend. He added regarding the rubber, “Both from a tyre standpoint, from what I heard, this year's wet tyres and intermediate tyres, it’s quite a difficult tyre for people that have run it, plus the power unit factor.”
While some teams have already gotten a taste of the intermediate and wet tyres during private Pirelli tests, the unpredictability remains sky-high. Pierre Gasly, who took part in a wet tyre test for Pirelli after the Miami GP, noted ahead of the first wet 2026 F1 race that he “wouldn't be surprised if we end up having a bit of an elimination game”.
