Fred Vasseur reveals Ferrari must focus entirely on race pace to combat severe tire degradation at Sepang.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur explained that the team faces a completely different challenge at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit compared to recent low-degradation street circuits. The Frenchman said Ferrari must change its setup focus to prioritize race pace over qualifying performance due to expected high tire wear. Recent races at Monza, Madrid and Baku had almost no tire degradation.

Vasseur acknowledged Ferrari's struggles in Azerbaijan, where they compromised their aerodynamic setup by adding downforce to counter grip issues despite knowing the straightline speed deficit would be significant. The team still managed to reach the front row in qualifying.

Ferrari currently sits second in the constructors' championship, 160 points behind leader Mercedes.