Verstappen tops Malaysian Grand Prix practice as F1 returns to Sepang after nine-year absence
Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the first practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, marking Formula 1’s return to the track for the first time in nine years. The Red Bull driver finished 0.383 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, with teammate Isack Hadjar third, 0.783 seconds off the pace .
The session, part of the Bahrain Grand Prix relocated to Malaysia after the original race in Sakhir was canceled due to regional conflict, saw drivers note high tire degradation on the abrasive surface. Russell’s Mercedes, fitted with a major upgrade including a new floor and rear bodywork, showed unusually high wear, with his team confirming his data was “an outlier” compared to Verstappen’s .
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fourth, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli fifth in the second Mercedes. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took seventh, while Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, along with Hadjar, face grid penalties for excessive engine part usage . The second practice session is scheduled for 10:00 MEZ.
Follow us for live European news
- 2
- 1
- 1
1 further source not geolocated
Articles
Orari Formula 1 Gp Malesia: si torna a Sepang dopo 9 anni | Dove vedere qualifiche e gara in tv e streaming (Sky, Now, TV8) La Formula 1 torna subito in pista dopo Baku. Da venerdì 2 a domenica 4 ottobre il Mondiale fa tappa a Sepang per il Gran Premio del Bahrain in Malesia, sedicesimo appuntamento della stagione 2026. Il circuito malese torna a ospitare la F1 per la prima volta dal 2017, prendendo eccezionalmente il posto della gara […] Larticolo Orari Formula 1 Gp Malesia: si torna a Sepang dopo 9 anni | Dove vedere qualifiche e gara in tv e streaming (Sky, Now, TV8) proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.
il fatto quotidiano · about 1 hour ago
Orari MotoGp Giappone: a Motegi da 4 anni vince Ducati | Dove vedere qualifiche, Sprint e gara in tv e streaming (Sky, Now, TV8) La MotoGP lascia momentaneamente lEuropa e apre la lunga parentesi asiatica con il Gran Premio del Giappone, sedicesimo appuntamento del Mondiale 2026, in programma da venerdì 2 a domenica 4 ottobre sul circuito di Motegi. La lotta per il titolo riparte con Jorge Martin al comando: lo spagnolo dellAprilia ha 12 punti di vantaggio su […] Larticolo Orari MotoGp Giappone: a Motegi da 4 anni vince Ducati | Dove vedere qualifiche, Sprint e gara in tv e streaming (Sky, Now, TV8) proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.
il fatto quotidiano · about 1 hour ago
Verstappen tops Bahrain GP in Malaysia first practice Red Bulls Max Verstappen tops the timesheets as Formula 1 returned to the Sepang track for the first time in nine years for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
bbc sport · about 2 hours ago
Verstappen maakt indruk in eerste vrije training GP in Maleisië Max Verstappen heeft de beste tijd gereden in de eerste vrije training bij de Grote Prijs van Bahrein in Maleisië. De viervoudig wereldkampioen in de Formule 1 klokte in zijn Red Bull 1.37,520. De Nederlander was daarmee ruim sneller dan de Brit George Russell van Mercedes, die met 1.37,903 de tweede tijd in het warme Sepang noteerde.
rtl nieuws · about 2 hours ago
Formel 1: Rückkehr nach Malaysia: Verstappen fährt Bestzeit Max Verstappen gewann 2017 das bisher letzte Formel-1-Rennen in Malaysia. Bei der Rückkehr legt er im Training stark los. Der WM-Spitzenreiter hat Rückstand.
tagesspiegel · about 2 hours ago
Verstappen snelste in eerste vrije training Maleisië, Antonelli slechts vijfde Max Verstappen heeft vrijdag de snelste tijd geklokt in de eerste vrije training voor de Grand Prix van Bahrein. De Red Bull-coureur bleef George Russell voor. WK-leider Kimi Antonelli kwam niet verder dan de vijfde tijd.
nu.nl · about 2 hours ago