Max Verstappen wasted no time making his mark in the first free practice session of the 2026 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. The Red Bull driver set the benchmark at 1:37.520, nearly four tenths clear of his nearest rival. This dominant display suggests that the progress shown in Baku was no fluke.
Interestingly, Verstappen's teammate, Isack Hadjar, also impressed by taking third place. However, Hadjar faces a five-place grid penalty for a power unit change. Despite this, his time was only eight tenths adrift of the reigning champion, highlighting the young driver's potential.
Splitting the two Milton Keynes cars was George Russell of Mercedes. Russell secured second, but he and teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli seemed to struggle for consistency in race simulation. This is a crucial note as Sepang is known for testing durability and tyre management.
Ferrari had to settle for fourth and sixth with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Between them, championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli took fifth. Antonelli, running the power unit that caused issues in Baku, was a full second behind Verstappen and over six tenths off Russell. Not an ideal start for the Italian, but there is still time to improve.
Outside the top ten, McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris showed impressive speed in race trim. They may not have set the fastest laps, but their rhythm makes them strong contenders for qualifying and the race. This makes the second free practice session crucial to see who is truly ready to fight at the front.
FP2 will take place today at 10:00 local time, followed by FP3 and qualifying tomorrow. The main race will be on Sunday at 09:00. With competition intensifying, every second on track will count.
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