Max Verstappen set the early practice pace on Formula One’s return to Malaysia for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The sport is back at the Sepang International Circuit, 40 miles south of Kuala Lumpur, after nine years away as the venue plays host to the rearranged Bahrain GP – cancelled earlier this season because of the Middle East conflict.
Verstappen won the last time an F1 event was staged here in 2017 and the four-time world champion held the advantage in the opening running on Friday.
Verstappen finished 0.383 seconds clear of George Russell in his revamped Mercedes, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar third – nearly eight tenths off his team-mate’s pace – and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth, the only other driver within one second of Verstappen’s quickest lap.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was off-colour in Azerbaijan last weekend to open the title door to team-mate Russell.
And the Italian was fifth here, almost seven tenths behind Russell in the other Mercedes. Antonelli did not look at ease with his Mercedes, running off the road at turn four.
The Silver Arrows have brought a raft of new parts to Malaysia to mark their biggest upgrade since the Miami Grand Prix in May.
In total, they have introduced seven upgrades – specifically to the floor and rear suspension and bodywork.
Russell is 66 points behind Antonelli with eight scheduled rounds to go and a possible 208 points still available.
Further back, Lewis Hamilton took sixth for Ferrari, a place clear of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson eighth.
McLaren finished a long way back, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris 11th and 12th respectively.
The second practice session begins at 16:00 local time (09:00 BST).
