FP1: Verstappen Leads Russell and Hadjar as F1 Returns to Sepang
Max Verstappen set the pace in the first Formula 1 session at Sepang since 2017, with George Russell and Isack Hadjar completing the top three.
```Formula 1 is officially back at Sepang — and Max Verstappen immediately reminded everyone why this circuit holds a special place in his career.
Verstappen topped the opening Free Practice session for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, setting the fastest time of 1:37.520 around the 5.543-kilometre Sepang International Circuit.
George Russell put Mercedes into second place, while Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar impressed by finishing third. Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli completed the top five.
Verstappen was fastest, but Russell's Mercedes was only 0.383 seconds away. Hadjar's third-place performance added another Red Bull to the leading group, while Ferrari placed both cars inside the top six.
FP1 Results: Top 10
The opening session provided the first meaningful comparison between the 2026 cars and the Sepang circuit, with several drivers experiencing the track in an F1 car for the first time.
``` ```| Pos. | Driver | Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | 1:37.520 |
| 2 | George Russell | +0.383s |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | +0.783s |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | +0.847s |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | +1.060s |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | — |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | — |
| 8 | Liam Lawson | — |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | — |
| 10 | Nico Hulkenberg | — |
Source: Formula 1 official FP1 classification. Only the top-five gaps are reproduced here because those are the timings provided directly in the official report excerpt.
Verstappen Starts His Sepang Return on Top
Verstappen was immediately comfortable around a circuit where he has a special connection with Formula 1 history.
The Dutchman was the last driver to win at Sepang when Formula 1 previously raced at the Malaysian circuit in 2017. Nine years later, he returned to the track and once again ended an opening session at the top of the timing screens.
Verstappen first established himself near the front early in the session before improving to a 1:37.520 lap later in the run.
That lap was enough to put him 0.383 seconds clear of Russell at the chequered flag.
Max Verstappen — FP1
```Position: P1
Best lap: 1:37.520
Gap to P2: 0.383s
Sepang connection: Last F1 winner at the circuit in 2017
```Russell Makes an Immediate Statement With Updated Mercedes
George Russell was Verstappen's closest challenger in FP1.
The Mercedes driver finished second, just 0.383 seconds behind the Red Bull.
Russell appeared to enjoy his return to the challenging Sepang layout and was heard describing the circuit enthusiastically over team radio.
Mercedes has also brought an upgrade package to Malaysia, making Russell's second place particularly interesting for the rest of the weekend.
The team is also running a special livery at Sepang in tribute to its title partner PETRONAS, adding a local connection to Mercedes' return to Malaysia.
Hadjar Completes a Strong Red Bull 1–3
Isack Hadjar provided one of the biggest talking points of the opening session by placing third.
His P3 ensured Red Bull had both cars inside the top three and left the team with a strong starting point for the rest of Friday.
Hadjar briefly moved to the top of the timesheets during the session as drivers switched to softer rubber, before Verstappen and Russell eventually moved ahead.
The result is particularly notable because Hadjar will face a grid penalty this weekend related to exceeding his permitted power-unit component allocation. His qualifying position therefore has an additional strategic importance.
Note: the FP1 result itself does not alter the eventual starting-grid penalty.
Ferrari Starts With Both Cars Inside the Top Six
Ferrari also had a positive opening session, with Charles Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth.
Leclerc finished only 0.847 seconds away from Verstappen, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli split the two Ferraris in fifth.
Hamilton's sixth-place result means Ferrari had both drivers in the top six after the first hour of running.
However, FP1 is only the first data point of the weekend, and teams are likely to make significant changes before qualifying.
Mercedes' Upgrade Package Gets Its First Track Time
Mercedes arrived at Sepang with an important upgrade package, making FP1 an especially valuable session for the team.
Russell's second-place finish provides an encouraging initial result, while Antonelli ended the session fifth.
The next step will be determining whether the pace remains competitive over longer runs and across different tyre compounds.
The team will now have FP2 to analyse the upgrade package under different track conditions and establish a clearer picture of its performance.
McLaren Has Work to Do
The opening session was less encouraging for McLaren.
Oscar Piastri finished 11th, while Lando Norris was 12th at the end of FP1.
The two McLaren drivers were therefore outside the leading group during the opening hour, although Friday practice positions should be treated cautiously.
McLaren was also experimenting with different rear-wing configurations between its two cars, suggesting the team was using FP1 partly as a data-gathering exercise.
A Nine-Year Wait Ends at Sepang
The biggest story surrounding FP1 was not just the timesheet.
Formula 1 had not raced at Sepang since 2017, meaning Friday's session represented the first F1 running at the circuit in almost a decade.
The return was particularly significant for the younger members of the grid. Several drivers had never experienced the Malaysian circuit in a Formula 1 car, making simulator preparation and the opening practice hour especially important.
Sepang's 5.543-kilometre layout combines long straights, heavy braking zones and fast flowing corners, providing teams with a broad range of performance demands.
Hot and Humid Conditions Greet the F1 Field
The drivers were also confronted with the environmental conditions that make Sepang such a demanding venue.
Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto commented on the high temperatures during the session, while the combination of heat and humidity provided another challenge for drivers returning to the Malaysian circuit.
This makes the data collected during Friday particularly valuable, as teams must understand how their cars behave across different track conditions before qualifying.
What Did FP1 Tell Us?
🔴 Red Bull
Verstappen's P1 and Hadjar's P3 gave Red Bull a strong opening, although longer-run performance remains to be established.
⚫ Mercedes
Russell's second place provides an early indication that Mercedes' Sepang upgrade package deserves close attention.
🔴 Ferrari
Leclerc and Hamilton both finished inside the top six, putting Ferrari firmly in the early conversation.
🟠 McLaren
Piastri and Norris were outside the top 10, but the team was also experimenting with different rear-wing configurations.
```Formula1India Analysis: Don't Read Too Much Into FP1
Verstappen's headline time will naturally attract attention, but FP1 should not be treated as a definitive ranking of the weekend.
Teams use the first practice session for a mixture of purposes: learning the track, testing aerodynamic configurations, evaluating tyres, collecting long-run data and validating simulation predictions.
The Sepang return makes this particularly important. With almost nine years since the previous F1 race at the circuit, every team needs to build a fresh understanding of how the current cars interact with the track.
The more revealing picture should emerge as Friday progresses and teams move from basic circuit learning towards qualifying preparation and race simulations.
What to Watch in FP2
- Can Mercedes maintain its pace?
- Does Red Bull remain at the front on longer runs?
- Can McLaren close the gap?
- How competitive are Ferrari's race simulations?
- Does Hadjar remain among the leading Red Bulls?
- How will the track evolve as more rubber goes down?
FP2 will be particularly important because it runs later in the day and should provide teams with a different set of conditions from the opening session.
```🇮🇳 Formula1India Quick Facts
``` ```| Session | FP1 |
| Venue | Sepang International Circuit |
| FP1 Winner | Max Verstappen |
| Fastest Lap | 1:37.520 |
| P2 | George Russell (+0.383s) |
| P3 | Isack Hadjar (+0.783s) |
| FP2 | Friday, October 2 • 4:00 PM Malaysia |
| Race | Sunday, October 4 • 3:00 PM Malaysia / 12:30 PM IST |
The Sepang Story Has Only Just Begun
Max Verstappen has the first bragging rights of Formula 1's long-awaited return to Sepang, but the margins behind him suggest there is plenty still to come.
Russell's Mercedes looked competitive, Hadjar gave Red Bull a strong 1–3 result, Ferrari placed both cars inside the top six, while McLaren has plenty of data to analyse after a quieter opening hour.
With FP2 still to come on Friday, the teams now have their first real dataset from the 2026 cars at Sepang. The battle for qualifying position is only beginning.
```Source & Attribution: This is an original Formula1India.in editorial based on the official Formula 1 FP1 report and classification for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Editorial Note: Formula1India.in is an independent Formula 1 information and fan-content website and is not affiliated with Formula 1, Formula One World Championship Limited, FIA or any Formula 1 team.