FP2: Charles Leclerc Tops Second Practice at 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | October 2, 2026
Charles Leclerc put Ferrari at the top of the timesheets in Friday's second practice session for the 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, setting a 1:37.528 around the Sepang International Circuit.
The Ferrari driver edged Isack Hadjar by just 0.099 seconds, while Lando Norris finished another 0.038 seconds behind in third. Max Verstappen, who had topped FP1 earlier in the day, ended FP2 in fourth after choosing not to complete a soft-tyre qualifying-style run.
Lewis Hamilton completed the top five for Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli following behind. The first day of Formula 1 running at Sepang therefore ended with Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren separated by only fractions of a second at the front.
2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
| Session | Free Practice 2 |
| Date | Friday, October 2, 2026 |
| Venue | Sepang International Circuit |
| Location | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| FP2 Winner | Charles Leclerc — Ferrari |
Leclerc Finds the Sweet Spot for Ferrari
The second practice session initially appeared to be developing in favour of Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver carried his FP1 pace into the opening phase of FP2 and set an early benchmark of 1:37.785.
As the session progressed, however, the switch towards faster tyre runs reshuffled the order. Leclerc produced the decisive lap, stopping the clock at 1:37.528 and taking control of the session.
The margin at the front was extremely small. Hadjar was only 0.099 seconds away, while Norris was 0.137 seconds from Leclerc. Verstappen's 0.257-second deficit was also misleading in one respect: the Red Bull driver did not complete a soft-tyre run in the closing stages.
Hadjar Continues Strong Form on His Return
Isack Hadjar continued to impress by placing second for Red Bull Racing. His 1:37.627 was less than a tenth away from Leclerc's benchmark and confirmed that the Red Bull had competitive one-lap speed at Sepang.
The session was not completely straightforward for Hadjar, however. The Red Bull driver reported oscillations from his car during the session, adding another layer to the team's Friday data-gathering programme.
Hadjar's second-place result is particularly significant because he also finished third in FP1, giving him two top-three results from the opening day of track action.
McLaren Responds with Norris and Piastri in the Top Six
Lando Norris moved McLaren into third place with a 1:37.665, a much stronger one-lap showing than the team's FP1 classification.
Oscar Piastri also made progress, finishing sixth with a 1:37.899. With both McLaren drivers inside the top six, the team ended Friday with useful data from both the single-lap and longer-run phases of the session.
Verstappen Fourth but Still Fastest on Friday
Verstappen finished FP2 in fourth, but his overall Friday benchmark remained the quickest lap of the day.
His FP1 time of 1:37.520 was 0.008 seconds faster than Leclerc's FP2 effort. The important difference was that Verstappen did not chase a soft-tyre qualifying simulation during the final part of FP2.
Mercedes Ends Friday Seventh and Eighth
George Russell finished seventh for Mercedes with a 1:38.020, while Kimi Antonelli was eighth on 1:38.060.
Both drivers had compromised soft-tyre attempts. Antonelli had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits, while Russell was unable to complete his fastest attempt cleanly after abandoning the lap in the final sector.
The Mercedes pair nevertheless remained within just over half a second of the session-leading Ferrari.
Bortoleto Brings Out the Virtual Safety Car
The final stages of FP2 were interrupted when Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto stopped at the side of the track with approximately two minutes remaining.
The incident triggered a Virtual Safety Car and effectively ended the opportunity for further improvements from the field.
Bortoleto had also been involved in a close moment with Lewis Hamilton earlier in the session. The Audi driver had to take avoiding action around the slower-moving Ferrari, and the incident was noted by the stewards.
Rain Threatens, but Sepang Stays Dry
A major talking point before FP2 was the possibility of rain. Forecasts suggested a significant chance of a shower during the hour, prompting teams to maximise their early running.
The rain ultimately stayed away, allowing the teams to complete their planned programmes without a wet-track interruption.
That left the teams with a valuable dry-weather data set ahead of Saturday's final practice and qualifying sessions.
FP2 Full Classification — 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
The complete official FP2 classification from Sepang is shown below.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:37.528 | 29 |
| 2 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | +0.099s | 23 |
| 3 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.137s | 25 |
| 4 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.257s | 20 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.305s | 28 |
| 6 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.371s | 26 |
| 7 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.492s | 28 |
| 8 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.532s | 28 |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.968s | 30 |
| 10 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.060s | 29 |
| 11 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.352s | 33 |
| 12 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.523s | 25 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.581s | 30 |
| 14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.833s | 29 |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.950s | 28 |
| 16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +2.178s | 30 |
| 17 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2.402s | 31 |
| 18 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +2.622s | 26 |
| 19 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +2.658s | 27 |
| 20 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.693s | 30 |
| 21 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +3.410s | 28 |
| 22 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +5.863s | 31 |
What We Learned from FP2
- Ferrari has strong one-lap pace: Leclerc placed Ferrari at the top with a 1:37.528.
- Red Bull remains firmly in contention: Hadjar was just 0.099 seconds away, while Verstappen finished fourth without a soft-tyre run.
- McLaren improved significantly: Norris and Piastri finished third and sixth after a quieter FP1.
- Mercedes remains within striking distance: Russell and Antonelli ended the session seventh and eighth.
- The midfield remains tightly packed: Several teams were separated by relatively small margins through the middle of the classification.
Grid Penalties Already Affect the Weekend
The FP2 classification does not determine Saturday's qualifying order or Sunday's starting grid, and several drivers already have grid penalties attached to this weekend.
Isack Hadjar, Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto have all received power-unit-related penalties. Colapinto also carries a five-place penalty from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.
These penalties will become relevant after qualifying when the final starting order is established.
What's Next at Sepang?
The drivers return on Saturday for the final practice session before qualifying.
| FP3 | 12:30–13:30 local time |
| Qualifying | 16:00–17:00 local time |
All times are local time at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who topped FP2 at the 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
Charles Leclerc topped FP2 for Ferrari with a time of 1:37.528.
Who finished second in FP2?
Isack Hadjar finished second for Red Bull Racing, 0.099 seconds behind Leclerc.
Where is the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix being held?
The 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia is being held at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Where did Max Verstappen finish in FP2?
Max Verstappen finished fourth with a time of 1:37.785, 0.257 seconds behind Leclerc.
Why was Verstappen fourth despite leading FP1?
Verstappen remained on the medium compound during the later stages and did not complete a soft-tyre run, while several rivals improved their times on the soft compound.
Who completed the FP2 top five?
Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton completed the top five.
When is FP3 at Sepang?
FP3 is scheduled for 12:30 local time on Saturday, October 3, followed by qualifying at 16:00.
Source: Official Formula 1 FP2 report and official 2026 Formula 1 Practice 2 classification.
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