F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Friday Practice Kicks Off Today

First practice (FP1) for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia is about to begin at the Sepang International Circuit. This session marks the first F1 action at Sepang since 2017, when Malaysia last hosted a Grand Prix. Now, the circuit returns to the F1 calendar, albeit with the event officially named the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli still leads the championship, but his advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell has been reduced after a fifth-place finish in Baku due to a qualifying crash. Mercedes has brought an updated car to Sepang in a bid to rebuild their early-season dominance.

Ferrari aims to quiet the noise surrounding team boss Fred Vasseur's future. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc publicly backed Vasseur on Thursday at Sepang. Meanwhile, Red Bull nearly stole victory in Azerbaijan, with Max Verstappen finishing just 0.1s behind Russell. Verstappen was the last winner at Sepang, and the long straights should suit Red Bull's Ford power unit.

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Weather is a major concern this weekend. Organisers have declared a heat hazard, and air quality could be an issue due to regional haze. Additionally, the 2026 cars might face their first proper wet weather test at Sepang.

FP1 starts at 12:30 local time, or 05:30 BST. This session will provide an early benchmark for teams at this challenging circuit. Don't miss the action as the first practice session gets underway.

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