Verstappen’s reaction says it all after spotting Ferrari on slicks at the start

Hamilton was fortunately allowed to retake second place on the grid after the chaotic formation laps, during which software issues left him unable to accelerate and briefly brought his Ferrari to a halt on track.

Ferrari then took a major gamble at the start by sending both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc out on slick tyres despite the Sepang circuit still being damp. Although conditions were gradually improving and the track was beginning to dry, there was still too much standing water for the dry-weather tyres to work effectively, leaving both Ferrari drivers struggling for grip and immediately losing significant ground.

Verstappen and the majority of the field instead opted for intermediates, a decision that proved far better suited to the conditions.

The Dutchman was able to remain competitive while Hamilton and Leclerc slipped backwards, with Ferrari eventually forced to abandon its initial gamble and switch tyres. The early call left both drivers with a considerable deficit to recover over the remainder of the race.

In the traditional cooldown room after the race, Verstappen and Hamilton looked back at some of the key moments from a chaotic Grand Prix, with the conversation quickly turning to Ferrari’s decision to start on slick tyres.

Verstappen admitted his surprise at seeing both Ferraris on dry-weather tyres, as despite the circuit beginning to dry, plenty of water remained on the tarmac. Hamilton agreed with his former title rival, explaining that he also felt the track was still too wet for slicks at that stage. Below is the exchange in full.

Lewis Hamilton: “What a crazy race.”

Max Verstappen: “Honestly, when I saw you guys on the slicks, I was like... (shows a surprised expression). The track didn’t look that wet anymore, but there was still a lot of water on the tarmac.”

Lewis Hamilton: “Yeah, that’s what I was saying. It was still going to be wet.”

Hamilton eventually managed to recover from Ferrari’s early strategic gamble, fighting his way back through the field to secure third place and salvage a podium from a race that initially appeared heavily compromised. Verstappen, meanwhile, made the most of the conditions and went on to take victory, securing his first win of the 2026 season.