Red Bull driver Max Verstappen set the pace during the opening practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which is being hosted at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. The event marks the track’s return to the Formula 1 calendar after a nine-year absence.
Verstappen finished 0.383 seconds ahead of George Russell, the Mercedes driver who claimed victory at last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The four-time world champion’s performance highlighted Red Bull’s strong form as the season approaches its conclusion.
Isack Hadjar, driving the second Red Bull, secured third place, trailing the leader by 0.783 seconds. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed in fourth, with his teammate Lewis Hamilton just behind him. Notably, championship leader Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, was separated from both Ferrari drivers by Verstappen’s teammate.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly placed seventh, ahead of the Racing Bulls duo of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Lindblad is set to start from the back of the grid due to a penalty for exceeding his allocation of engine components. Hadjar also faces a grid penalty, expected to be five places, for the same technical infringement.
The race was moved from Bahrain to Malaysia following the cancellation of both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix earlier this year due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain negotiated the arrangement, ensuring the race would still count toward the championship. Event organizers confirmed that Bahrain-themed activities will take place at the venue, and the podium ceremony will feature the traditional trophy and rosewater instead of champagne.
Divers expressed concerns regarding high tire degradation caused by the abrasive nature of the Sepang surface. Russell specifically noted the issue during his race simulations, though he was informed by his team that his tire wear appeared to be an outlier compared to Verstappen’s figures.
Mercedes introduced their first major upgrade package of the season, featuring a new floor and rear bodywork, developed following the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite these changes, world champions McLaren had a quiet session, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris sitting in 11th and 12th place respectively, suggesting they may not be the immediate prohibitive favorites this weekend.
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