Summary
- Max Verstappen set a 1:37.520, beating George Russell by 0.383 seconds.
- Isack Hadjar finished third, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli.
- Heat and tyre degradation challenged the field; Gabriel Bortoleto placed 13th.
Max Verstappen topped the first Formula 1 practice session at Sepang since 2017, beating George Russell by 0.383 seconds on Friday, 2 October. The Red Bull driver recorded a 1:37.520 as the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia began in hot conditions.
Isack Hadjar completed the top three, 0.783 seconds behind his team-mate, with Charles Leclerc fourth. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, 1.060 seconds off Verstappen’s benchmark, narrowly ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes arrived with an upgraded car and a special Petronas livery, but Verstappen delivered the opening session’s fastest lap. The Dutchman also won the last grand prix held at Sepang, nine years ago.
Verstappen answers Russell as soft-tyre runs change the order
Verstappen used soft tyres early in the session, while Russell initially ran on mediums. The Mercedes driver progressively reduced the gap as he became familiar with the Malaysian circuit.
“This track is very cool,” Russell said over the radio.
The order changed as more drivers switched to soft tyres. Hadjar moved into first place with a 1:38.303, before Russell lowered the benchmark to 1:37.903.
Verstappen then reclaimed the lead with his 1:37.520. Neither Russell nor Hadjar improved sufficiently to displace him before the chequered flag, leaving Red Bull with two cars in the top three.
Antonelli finished 0.677 seconds behind Russell. Ferrari’s drivers bracketed the championship leader, with Leclerc fourth and Hamilton sixth, just 0.010 seconds behind the Mercedes.
Heat and tyre wear dominate the opening hour
The return to Sepang immediately underlined the challenge posed by high temperatures and tyre degradation. Drivers also encountered limited grip as they built confidence on the circuit.
“The tyre degradation is insane,” Leclerc reported over the radio.
Bortoleto highlighted the physical conditions inside the cockpit as he worked through his first practice session at Sepang.
“This is the craziest I’ve ever been in my life with temperatures,” the Audi driver said.
The final stages included further running on medium tyres as teams gathered information for longer stints. Managing tyre performance will be a central question for the remainder of the weekend, beyond the fastest laps recorded in FP1.
McLaren outside the top 10 as Bortoleto takes 13th
Pierre Gasly finished seventh for Alpine, ahead of Racing Bulls pair Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Nico Hülkenberg completed the top 10 for Audi.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished 11th and 12th, respectively, both more than 1.7 seconds behind Verstappen. Bortoleto followed in 13th, with Fernando Alonso 14th.
Esteban Ocon led Haas team-mate Oliver Bearman in 15th and 16th. Alex Albon finished 17th, followed by Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz. Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez completed the classification.
Bahrain GP in Malaysia 2026: FP1 results
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:37.520 | — | 23 |
| 2 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:37.903 | +0.383 | 25 |
| 3 | I. HADJAR | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:38.303 | +0.783 | 23 |
| 4 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:38.367 | +0.847 | 25 |
| 5 | K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:38.580 | +1.060 | 23 |
| 6 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:38.590 | +1.070 | 21 |
| 7 | P. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:38.715 | +1.195 | 22 |
| 8 | L. LAWSON | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:39.106 | +1.586 | 22 |
| 9 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:39.197 | +1.677 | 27 |
| 10 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:39.211 | +1.691 | 23 |
| 11 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:39.276 | +1.756 | 23 |
| 12 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 1:39.293 | +1.773 | 21 |
| 13 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:39.548 | +2.028 | 25 |
| 14 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:39.683 | +2.163 | 22 |
| 15 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:40.158 | +2.638 | 23 |
| 16 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 1:40.311 | +2.791 | 23 |
| 17 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:40.321 | +2.801 | 22 |
| 18 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 1:40.413 | +2.893 | 19 |
| 19 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:40.531 | +3.011 | 22 |
| 20 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:40.605 | +3.085 | 25 |
| 21 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:40.800 | +3.280 | 23 |
| 22 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:40.820 | +3.300 | 24 |
FP2 begins at 16:00 local time on Friday, equivalent to 09:00 BST, 04:00 EDT, 13:30 IST and 18:00 AEST. The Friday practice schedule for Sepang includes the local times for the main audience markets.
Formula 1 is racing this weekend, from 2–4 October, in Malaysia, which hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action at Sepang.
F1 today: FAQ
Who was fastest in Bahrain GP practice at Sepang?
Max Verstappen topped FP1 with a 1:37.520, beating George Russell by 0.383 seconds. Isack Hadjar finished third, ahead of Charles Leclerc and championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
What time does F1 FP2 start in Malaysia?
FP2 starts on Friday, 2 October, at 16:00 in Malaysia. That is 09:00 BST in the UK, 04:00 EDT in New York and Toronto, 01:00 PDT in Los Angeles and Vancouver, 13:30 IST in India and 18:00 AEST in Sydney and Melbourne.
Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix being held in Malaysia?
The original race at Sakhir was cancelled because of the conflict in the Middle East. Sepang is hosting the replacement event while retaining the Bahrain Grand Prix name, bringing Formula 1 back to the Malaysian circuit for the first time since 2017.
Who was fastest in Bahrain GP FP1 in Malaysia?
Max Verstappen led FP1 with a 1:37.520, finishing 0.383 seconds ahead of George Russell. Isack Hadjar was third.
