Max Verstappen wasted no time asserting his dominance in the opening practice session for the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The Red Bull driver set a blistering benchmark of 1m 37.520s, finishing nearly four tenths clear of Mercedes' George Russell.
This session marked Formula 1's return to Sepang for the first time since 2017, and the hot, humid conditions provided a stern test for all teams as they gathered crucial track data. The 5.5km circuit demanded precision, with drivers experimenting with different tyre compounds and aerodynamic setups.
Verstappen was followed by his Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar in third, just 0.783s adrift. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli completed the top five, highlighting the tight competition among the front-running teams.
McLaren, on the other hand, had a subdued session with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris down in 11th and 12th, over 1.7 seconds off the pace. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad faced an impending grid penalty due to a power unit change, adding to his challenges.
Mercedes brought a radical W17 upgrade to Sepang, hoping to close the gap, but Russell still couldn't match Verstappen's pace. Ferrari and Alpine also continued to fine-tune their cars, searching for any advantage.
With this result, Verstappen sends a strong message ahead of the season opener. However, with more practice sessions to come, teams will be working tirelessly to close the gap before qualifying and the race.
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Max Verstappen topped Bahrain GP FP1 at Sepang as F1 returned to Malaysia, beating George Russell in track temperatures exceeding 58°C.
Mercedes bawa paket upgrade besar untuk W17 di GP Bahrain Sepang. Tujuh komponen baru, dari lantai hingga suspensi, siap dominasi F1. Akankah jadi game over?
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