2 October 2026 09:15 (UTC)
While it remains to be seen as the competitive sessions unfold, Sepang’s variety is expected to suit the MCL40 better than Baku
Lando is hoping his first Grand Prix in Malaysia will mark a quick return to form as he prepares to take on a new circuit.
The World Champion was forced out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku through no fault of his own after a collision with Franco Colapinto, only the second race weekend this season he has not picked up points.
But the wide Sepang International Circuit offers higher-speed corners alongside long straights and should better reflect the upgrades to the MCL40 that we brought to Baku.
“All the upgrades are doing everything they should,” Lando said. “Obviously, it wasn’t our finest weekend as a team, and there were plenty of other areas where we were losing a lot of time, so we’re hoping it’ll show more this weekend.
“It was a good thing that we brought upgrades. It wasn't like we shone that much, so it was a good highlight to show the other areas we need to keep improving. I expect them to work more here and to return a little bit back to normal again, if we can fix some of the problems, especially with my car I had last weekend.
“There’s a lot of straights, which we know is not one of our strengths and something we have to work on. But the higher-speed corners, although you don’t really deploy the battery that much through them, hopefully they will be a little bit more towards our strengths this weekend. I am hoping things return a little bit more back to normal.”
As well as keeping eyes on the action around the circuit, plenty of attention will be given to the skies, with conditions notoriously unpredictable. For the first time this season, significant rainfall is expected, adding another dimension to the already unusual Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
“I’ve not driven in the wet in this car, so it’s still a completely new experience for us,” Lando added.
“Things have improved a lot since the beginning of the year, which makes some of the concerns less, but it is still a new experience. We have to be ready for it. The track looks cool, it’s one I’ve enjoyed watching, and I think will be good for racing this weekend, so that’s something to look forward to.”
Lando and Oscar have both used the simulator to get up to speed with the circuit, which last featured in Formula 1 nine years ago, although the Australian says that nothing can completely replicate being out on track.
“In terms of the sim work, it is the normal amount,” said Oscar. “For me, the sims, they help you identify your braking points, what gears you use, and how fast you can go.
“But when you really get into the finer details, especially with this year’s cars and power units, it becomes very challenging. It is not really a case of you do double the amount of work on the sim, and you get double the reward. It gets to a point where it stops becoming useful.
“[When you’re on track] you’re always learning - every time the grip load changes, the fuel load changes - but after the first run, you’ve got a pretty good idea of where the braking points are, and then you’re just evolving from there.”
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia marks the second leg of an all-action triple header, but despite the busy schedule, both drivers have prioritised their wellbeing and found pockets of rest where they can.
Oscar and Lando were among a group of drivers from the paddock who carved out time to see the sights of Malaysia before getting straight back to work.
Oscar said: “It was good fun to switch off from racing a bit, and it is very rare that you get so many drivers together spending time together away from the race track.
“At the end of the day, we are all 22 guys who love racing, and it is a bit tricky to talk about certain things because we are all racing each other, but we’ve got a lot in common that we never get to talk about.
“It was quite nice. We all did our own separate things at points; it wasn’t like we were glued to each other the whole time. Maybe on the go-kart track we were, but it was good fun, and I enjoyed it.”
