Verstappen makes fast start in Malaysia to outpace Russell in first practice — SkimNews
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- Max Verstappen set the pace in FP1 for the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang with a 1:37.520, three tenths clear of George Russell, on F1's first visit to the circuit since 2017 — a race Verstappen himself won.
- Mercedes debuted their first significant car update since the Canadian Grand Prix, including a new floor, rear suspension, and rear corner on the W17, with Russell finishing second in FP1.
- Kimi Antonelli was fifth fastest, a full second off Verstappen's pace and 0.6s behind team-mate Russell, after Baku saw Russell cut the Italian's championship lead to 66 points.
- Ferrari were over 0.8s off the pace, with Charles Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth, while McLaren finished outside the top 10 — Piastri 11th, Norris 12th — as they ran a back-to-back test of their rotating 'H-wing' rear wing.
- Isack Hadjar was third in the second Red Bull but 0.7s off Verstappen, and carries a five-place grid penalty for engine changes, while Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) also has a Sunday grid penalty.
- Tyre degradation was severe in the hot, humid conditions on Sepang's older tarmac, with Mercedes' pit wall telling Russell his soft-tyre long-run pace made him an 'outlier' on wear.
Why it matters: Red Bull's early pace at a returning circuit, combined with Mercedes' first major upgrade since May landing on a fast car, sets up a potential intra-team fight for the constructors' title. Ferrari and McLaren — the two other expected front-runners — were a second or more adrift in FP1, meaning the gap Verstappen and Russell opened could harden into a qualifying fight if the upgrades don't deliver.
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