Max Verstappen topped the timesheets for Red Bull during the opening practice session at the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The Dutchman set a benchmark lap of 1m 37.520s, finishing nearly four tenths of a second clear of Mercedes driver George Russell. Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar finished third, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli completed the top five.
Hot and humid weather conditions greeted the drivers as Formula 1 returned to the Sepang International Circuit for the first time since 2017.
Teams focused on gathering crucial track data, testing different compound tyres and aerodynamic setups throughout the hour. Down the order, McLaren ended the session in 11th and 12th with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, while Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad faced an impending grid penalty following a power unit change.
View the full results here!
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:37.520 | |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.383 | |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | +0.783 | |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.847 | |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +1.060 | |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +1.070 | |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.195 | |
| 8 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.586 | |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.677 | |
| 10 | Nico Huelkenberg | Audi | +1.691 | |
| 11 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +1.756 | |
| 12 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +1.773 | |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +2.028 | |
| 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +2.163 | |
| 15 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +2.638 | |
| 16 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +2.791 | |
| 17 | Alex Albon | Williams | +2.801 | |
| 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +2.893 | |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +3.011 | |
| 20 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +3.085 | |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +3.280 | |
| 22 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +3.300 |
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