Summary
- Russell abandoned a flying lap, while Antonelli lost one to track limits during their soft-tyre running.
- Mercedes finished seventh and eighth, nearly half a second behind FP2 leader Charles Leclerc.
- Those results do not establish that the Sepang upgrade failed, with qualifying and race pace still to be assessed.
Mercedes finished Friday’s second Formula 1 practice session at Sepang behind Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren, but there was a specific complication in its qualifying simulations. George Russell aborted a soft-tyre lap in the final sector, while Kimi Antonelli had an effort deleted for exceeding track limits.
Russell ended FP2 seventh with a 1:38.020, 0.492s behind Charles Leclerc. Antonelli finished eighth on a 1:38.060, another 0.040s behind his teammate.
The interrupted attempts help explain why Mercedes failed to improve its position when drivers switched to the softer compound. They do not, by themselves, explain the entire gap or establish the team’s underlying pace.
Mercedes’ soft-tyre attempts did not produce a clean comparison
Teams began their faster runs relatively early because of the threat of rain. The Mercedes drivers were among those switching to soft tyres around 15 minutes into the session.
Antonelli’s deleted lap and Russell’s abandoned attempt prevented those particular efforts from contributing to the classification. As rivals completed their runs, Mercedes dropped down the order.
That distinction matters when interpreting Leclerc’s FP2 victory ahead of Hadjar and Norris. A practice position reflects the fastest valid lap recorded, rather than the potential of an incomplete or deleted attempt.
Verstappen’s medium-tyre pace remains a warning
There is nevertheless reason for Mercedes to examine the deficit closely. Max Verstappen finished fourth without running the soft tyre, recording a 1:37.785 on mediums.
The Red Bull driver was therefore 0.235s faster than Russell and 0.275s ahead of Antonelli on their best recorded laps. Different fuel loads and programmes prevent a definitive comparison, but Verstappen’s performance means Mercedes’ result cannot simply be dismissed as rivals benefiting from softer tyres.
Leclerc led the session with a 1:37.528, followed by Isack Hadjar and Lando Norris. Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri also finished ahead of both Mercedes drivers.
Russell’s FP1 result adds context
The afternoon order differed from the opening session, when Russell finished second behind Verstappen. His morning lap of 1:37.903 was 0.117s faster than his FP2 benchmark.
Antonelli improved from 1:38.580 in FP1 to 1:38.060 in FP2. Mercedes consequently had two different stories across Friday: Russell retained his morning best, while Antonelli lowered his time by 0.520s.
| Driver | FP1 best | FP2 best | FP2 position |
|---|---|---|---|
| G. RUSSELL | 1:37.903 | 1:38.020 | 7 |
| K. ANTONELLI | 1:38.580 | 1:38.060 | 8 |
Did Mercedes’ Sepang upgrade fail?
Friday’s classification is insufficient to reach that conclusion. Assessing the upgrade requires comparison of the car’s behaviour and performance against the team’s expectations, alongside representative qualifying laps and longer runs.
The clearest verified explanation so far is that Mercedes’ soft-tyre running included compromised attempts. Whether there is also a broader performance problem remains a question for the team’s analysis, Saturday’s FP3 and qualifying.
Formula 1 continues 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 won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang on Sunday, 4 October, taking his first victory of the 2026 F1 season. Kimi Antonelli finished second, with Lewis Hamilton completing the podium.
Why was the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia delayed?
Heavy rain initially delayed the start at Sepang. Several drivers then experienced power delivery problems during the formation procedure, forcing race control to suspend the start again. The race eventually began more than 90 minutes after its scheduled time.
How far ahead is Kimi Antonelli in the F1 championship?
Kimi Antonelli leads George Russell by 84 points after finishing second at Sepang while his Mercedes teammate retired. Antonelli has 320 points, Russell has 236 and Lewis Hamilton is third with 214.
Why did Mercedes finish seventh and eighth in Sepang FP2?
Its soft-tyre running included an aborted lap for Russell and a deleted effort for Antonelli. Those setbacks affected their recorded results, although they do not explain the entire performance gap.
