Leclerc Tops Bahrain GP Practice at Sepang

Posted : 02 October 2026

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in Friday’s second practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, narrowly beating Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Leclerc recorded a 1:37.528, finishing 0.099 seconds ahead of Hadjar, while Norris was another 0.038 seconds behind in third.

The competitive picture at Sepang remained difficult to judge because teams followed different tyre and run plans. Hadjar and his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen did not complete conventional qualifying simulations on the soft compound, leaving their outright pace difficult to assess.

Verstappen had nevertheless set the fastest time in the opening practice session, recording a 1:37.520 to finish ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Hadjar. The Dutchman ended FP2 fourth fastest, meaning his FP1 lap remained the quickest overall time of the day.

Ferrari appeared particularly competitive during the longer race simulations, although those comparisons were also complicated by teams splitting their programmes between soft and medium tyres. The lack of recent data at Sepang has added another variable, with Formula 1 returning to the circuit for the first time since 2017.

Mercedes, meanwhile, introduced a significant upgrade package for the weekend, but Russell and championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished seventh and eighth in FP2. Their positions may not reflect their qualifying potential, particularly given the different programmes completed during the session.

Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly completed the top 10, while Lewis Hamilton was fifth and Oscar Piastri sixth. A late Virtual Safety Car period was triggered when Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto stopped on track with a suspected gearbox problem.

Several drivers will also carry grid penalties into Sunday’s race. Hadjar faces a five-place drop for exceeding the permitted engine allocation. Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad is set to start at the back after taking an additional power unit, while Alpine’s Franco Colapinto has a 10-place engine penalty on top of the five-place sanction imposed for causing the Azerbaijan Grand Prix restart collision.

The return to Sepang is taking place under unusual circumstances. The Bahrain Grand Prix was moved to Malaysia after the original Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races were cancelled amid the conflict in the Middle East. The event is therefore being staged at the Malaysian circuit while retaining the Bahrain Grand Prix designation.

Sepang, which last hosted Formula 1 in 2017, is known for its long straights, demanding corners, heat and abrasive surface, all of which could make tyre management an important factor during the race.

Leclerc Tops Bahrain GP Practice at Sepang

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