What the teams said – Friday in Malaysia

During the first practice sessions for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing led the way in FP1, while Isack Hadjar also showed strong performance, finishing P3 in the first session and P2 in the second. However, Hadjar will face a five-place grid penalty for a new internal combustion engine. Verstappen's teammate, Hadjar, and the team expressed satisfaction with their competitiveness despite some balance issues.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc topped the timing sheets in FP2, while Lewis Hamilton finished fifth after struggling with grip. George Russell of Mercedes had a strong start in FP1 but faced challenges in FP2, and Kimi Antonelli had a more cautious approach. All teams noted the high tyre degradation and difficult track conditions, which will be critical factors as they prepare for qualifying.