Max Verstappen, who claimed victory in the previous F1 race at Sepang International Circuit, once again led the timesheets in Malaysia by setting the fastest lap in FP1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Uniquely, Verstappen completed the session using only soft tyres, whereas most of his competitors mainly tested medium compounds.
Close behind Verstappen was George Russell, fresh off his Azerbaijan Grand Prix win, trailing by 0.383 seconds as he debuted Mercedes’ latest upgrades. Early in the session, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull briefly led, but ultimately finished third, 0.400 seconds shy of his teammate. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured fourth place, just 0.847 seconds slower than Verstappen. Meanwhile, championship leader Kimi Antonelli logged an impressive first outing at Sepang, ending the session fifth.
Experienced driver Lewis Hamilton placed sixth, followed by Pierre Gasly in seventh. The Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, were closely matched in eighth and ninth, with Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi rounding out the top ten. McLaren’s duo, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, struggled to find pace, finishing 11th and 12th respectively, both over 1.7 seconds behind Verstappen.
Fernando Alonso, recently re-signed by Aston Martin through 2027, placed 14th, trailing Verstappen by more than two seconds. Haas teammates Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman followed in 15th and 16th, with Ocon currently seeking a seat for the next season. At the rear were Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, each more than three seconds off the pace.
Fan Take: This opening session highlights Verstappen’s continued dominance and Red Bull’s strong pace, setting the stage for another thrilling battle in the championship. For fans, these early glimpses of team upgrades and driver form ignite excitement and raise expectations for fierce competition throughout the season.
Source: www.crash.net
