The Bahrain Grand Prix held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia experienced a very eventful start on Sunday, marked by changing weather conditions and divergent tire strategies.
Initially delayed by a thunderstorm, the race saw its start procedure suspended after several drivers struggled to maintain speed during the formation lap. After a long wait, the race finally began on a still slippery track.
Drivers then opted for different tires: some chose intermediate tires suited for the wet track, while Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, Gabriel Bortoleto, Nico Hulkenberg, Ollie Bearman, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, and Franco Colapinto started on soft slick tires. Others, such as Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll, preferred medium tires.
Sergio Perez quickly struggled to find grip and had to pit at the end of the first lap, behind the safety car, to switch to intermediate tires. Piastri, Bortoleto, Stroll, and Hulkenberg followed this choice a lap later, lining up in the pit lane while their rivals faced a standing start.
This situation caused numerous position changes from the very first lap, making the race start particularly dynamic and unpredictable.