Charles Leclerc is preparing for a challenging Grand Prix in Sepang, where he expects significant tire degradation to play a key role during the race. The high temperatures and the nature of the Sepang circuit caused rapid tire wear during Friday's free practice sessions, affecting multiple drivers and potentially influencing race strategies. Although the track's grip is expected to improve as it becomes more "rubbered"—meaning more tire rubber builds up on the surface—Leclerc does not anticipate a major change by Sunday. Managing tire performance will therefore be crucial for both strategy and overall race performance. During the second free practice session, known as EL2, track temperatures exceeded 60 °C, and the limited grip made it difficult for drivers to prepare and use different tire compounds effectively. Leclerc noted that the strong tire degradation will likely be a major factor during the race, as tires do not last long under these conditions. "I do not expect this to improve significantly during the weekend," he said. He also clarified that while the track's grip should naturally improve as cars pass over it repeatedly, this improvement may not be enough to counter the severe tire wear observed on Friday. "The grip itself will very probably improve, but despite this, the weekend will remain complicated, particularly regarding degradation," he added. Despite these challenges, Ferrari has a potential advantage. Leclerc believes the SF-26, Ferrari's current car, performs well on long runs, which could help the team capitalize on this strength during the race. "We normally have a good car in the race, so I hope that will still be the case this weekend," he said. This could be vital as tire management becomes a central factor in race strategy. Returning to Sepang, a track where Formula 1 last raced in 2017, presents a particular challenge for Leclerc. Although he had participated in free practice sessions with Sauber in the last race and had raced there in GP3 in 2016, he found that his memories of the track were not detailed enough to help him immediately. "I had to completely relearn the circuit. I didn't remember it very well when I arrived here," he said. However, he still appreciates the track. "It's a beautiful circuit and I had fun. But the conditions were really, really, really bad today and the track was therefore very slippery," he added. As the weekend progresses, the key challenge for Leclerc and Ferrari will be to anticipate how the track evolves. A more rubbered track should offer better grip, but with high temperatures and strong tire degradation still expected, managing tires could be one of the main keys to success. "We need to be able to anticipate what it will give us tomorrow when the track is in better conditions," he said. After setting the best time in EL2 on Friday, Leclerc now has a competitive SF-26 on a lap. It remains to be seen if Ferrari can turn its traditional race reliability into a decisive advantage as tire degradation begins to influence the race outcome.