Verstappen tops Bahrain GP in Malaysia first practice

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the opening practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was held at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit after the event was relocated from its usual venue. The Red Bull driver was 0.383 seconds quicker than George Russell, who had won the previous week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix while driving an upgraded Mercedes. Isack Hadjar, the second Red Bull, finished third quickest, trailing the pace by 0.783 seconds and placing ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured seventh place, outpacing Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Both Lawson and Lindblad will start the race from the rear of the grid after incurring a penalty for exceeding the permitted number of power‑unit components; Hadjar faces a similar sanction, expected to drop him five places on the grid. The return to Sepang marks the first time Formula 1 has visited the circuit in nine years. Organisers describe the track as one of the standout layouts among the newer generation of facilities that entered the calendar at the end of the last season and continue into this year. The shift was necessitated by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix at the start of the season, a decision driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Bahrain’s authorities remained committed to staging a race, and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa negotiated the move to Malaysia. In keeping with Bahraini tradition, the event will feature local cultural activities around the circuit, and the podium celebration will use rosewater instead of champagne, with the Bahrain Grand Prix trophy presented to the winner. Drivers noted pronounced tyre wear during the session, attributing it to the abrasive surface. Russell, in particular, highlighted the degradation on his Mercedes. When he questioned the wear during a high‑fuel‑load race‑simulation lap, engineers informed him that his tyre loss appeared to be an “outlier” compared with Verstappen’s. Mercedes unveiled its first significant upgrade since the Canadian Grand Prix, introducing a revised floor and new rear bodywork. The team had anticipated McLaren to be the primary challenger at Sepang, but the Woking squad ran a subdued opening practice, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishing 11th and 12th respectively.