Max Verstappen deliberately took a different approach during FP2 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by avoiding the soft tyre, sacrificing some one-lap preparation in the process.
The Red Bull driver opted for a long run after the chance of rain was forecast at 90 per cent during the second practice session at the Sepang International Circuit. Verstappen considered the session more valuable for gathering race preparation data, with FP2 providing one of the most representative opportunities ahead of the 56-lap race.
The decision meant Verstappen did not top FP2. He recorded a 1:37.785 to finish fourth, while Charles Leclerc led the session with a 1:37.528.
However, Verstappen still ended the day with the fastest overall time. His 1:37.520 from FP1 remained the benchmark as Formula 1 returned to Sepang.
Track conditions played an important role in Verstappen's decision. Temperatures climbed above 60 degrees Celsius during FP2, while the abrasive Sepang surface is expected to produce significant tyre degradation throughout the weekend.
“I wanted to do a long run in case there was some rain coming in,” Verstappen said when asked why he chose not to run the soft compound in FP2.
Verstappen acknowledged that the conditions made it difficult to judge the team's progress. Red Bull also ran a different programme in FP2 compared with the opening practice session, limiting the value of a direct comparison.
“Progress is difficult. It was warmer again in FP2, different programmes. So hard to say we made progress, but there's still a lot of things to look at to try and understand better,” Verstappen added.
Although he missed the opportunity to complete a soft-tyre qualifying-style run, Verstappen still ended Friday with a significant advantage. He had topped FP1 before deliberately taking a different testing approach in FP2 to prepare for the possibility of changing weather conditions.
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