#1165 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix

Aston Martin will race with an unchanged driver line-up in 2027, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll extending their long-term contracts with the British team. While Stroll had been expected to remain for a ninth season, Alonso’s future was less certain following Aston Martin’s disappointing performances so far this year. However, ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Aston Martin, who currently sit 10th in the Constructors’ Championship, confirmed that both drivers will remain with the team. It will be Alonso and Stroll’s fifth season as teammates. With 644 combined Formula 1 starts, they will form the most experienced driver pairing on the grid.

"I’m very happy to sign a new contract with Aston Martin. I took my time to make this decision, but racing is my life and my passion, and I know I still have the speed and determination to compete at the highest level. I’m committed to this team for the long term and to helping us succeed. I truly believe in what we are building. We have strong leadership, incredible people, great partners and outstanding facilities. I look forward to making more memories on the race track in front of our passionate fans. Their energy creates an atmosphere that inspires me and makes our sport so special".

Stroll add:

"I’m very happy to continue with Aston Martin Aramco for the long term. I’ve been on this journey since the beginning, and I believe we have the resources and the people to become a winning team. There is so much hard work going on at Silverstone, with real progress being made, and the determination I see in every department is a huge motivation for me. I know we are heading in the right direction, and my commitment is stronger than ever to help us achieve our goals".

Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll says:

"Lance and Fernando have been a crucial part of our journey, and we are very pleased to confirm that they will continue with us into the next chapter for the team. Having two drivers with their level of experience, commitment and knowledge provides tremendous value to the whole organisation. We are here to win, and while our short-term focus remains on improving performance, I believe we have the world-class talent we need to achieve our long-term objectives".

That leaves just four seats still available on the 2027 grid. At Haas, Ollie Bearman is expected to remain with the team, while FIA Formula 2 Championship leader Rafael Camara is reportedly the frontrunner to become his teammate. Racing Bulls are expected to retain Arvid Lindblad for a second season. Liam Lawson is hoping to secure another full season, but there remains a possibility that the team could promote Nikola Tsolov, who is currently second in the F2 championship. Fernando Alonso has explained the factors behind his decision to continue racing with Aston Martin into 2027, admitting that he still feels that fire inside as he prepares for his 24th season in Formula 1. After speculation over his future in recent months following a difficult start to the season for the team, it was announced ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia that Alonso had extended his contract with Aston Martin. This means the team will have an unchanged driver line-up next year, with Lance Stroll entering his ninth season with the British outfit. Having previously said that he still has the speed and determination to compete at the highest level, Alonso reiterated that belief during media day in Sepang.

"I still feel competitive and I feel that fire inside when I'm at a race weekend - I feel happier. If I'm sitting on the couch, watching F1 will be very difficult for me at the moment because I feel the need to be behind the wheel. The moment hasn't arrived yet".

Alonso revealed that deep reflection played a decisive role in his decision to continue racing. He also explained that he regretted walking away from Formula 1 for what became a two-year hiatus between 2019 and 2020.

"I took my time with this decision because I really had to consider the scenarios and all the possibilities for next year. When I took my sabbatical from F1, I was watching the races at home and I didn't feel comfortable there. I felt that I wasn't happier on the couch than I was at the circuit. I felt that I could have done things differently. I was watching an onboard and I said: This was too early. Back then, I felt I should go back racing because I still belonged on the track and in the cockpit. That thought came back to me now and I thought: hat if next year I watch the races at home? And every time I thought about it, I said: No way. I still feel that I should be driving for at least one more year".

With Aston Martin having experienced a difficult 2026 season, Alonso was also asked whether he had been encouraged by signs that the team could perform better next year.

"You never know. I think all the teams are very optimistic in October and November, and then in March you find reality. It's not about promising or expecting different things - it's just about making sure that everyone gives 100 per cent, that we are all motivated and that we are moving in the same direction. I think this year we saw some encouraging things, but there is still a long winter ahead if we want to do things perfectly. I don't want to make promises and I don't want to hear promises either. I just want to see discipline in the way we work, especially with the power unit - that's where the biggest hope is for next year".

Alonso also revealed that he and the team had not discussed the possibility of him taking on another role within the squad once he stops racing.

"We didn't talk about it this year. In the past we discussed it, but this year it was more about racing or not. Once I made the decision, the team was always very supportive. It was a five-minute conversation, honestly, with Lawrence [Stroll] and the team, because everything was already ready and set".

Looking further ahead, Alonso said he intends to enjoy his career race by race rather than setting a specific limit.

"I think it's more about the feeling of competitiveness. It's not about thinking about my age, records or statistics. It's more about feeling good and fast behind the wheel. Now I still feel that, and that's why I continue. The day I don't feel that anymore will be the day I call it a day, but without thinking about numbers".

Mercedes are set to introduce a long-awaited upgrade package at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, leaving George Russell optimistic that he can build on the momentum from his recent victory in Baku and get back on top. Just as Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings had grown to 81 points, Russell converted his superb pole position into victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by less than two tenths of a second at the finish. The result reduced his deficit to 66 points, and with eight rounds still remaining, Russell believes he can continue challenging for his maiden world championship - particularly if Mercedes’ upgrades deliver the expected performance when Formula 1 returns to Sepang. Reflecting on his recent improvement in form, Russell said: 

"Baku was an excellent weekend. I really felt in the groove and since the summer break I've felt more on top of things. As a team, we've been very competitive this season on circuits that require high efficiency from the car's downforce. Baku and Monza were good for us, while Red Bull were also fast, but now we're back at a more traditional circuit where McLaren have been very strong recently. When you look at Budapest, Zandvoort and Madrid, even though Madrid is a street circuit, it's still more normal in terms of the amount of straights compared to the corners. I'm hoping this upgrade package brings us back on top at the circuits where we've missed out recently".

Russell had previously ruled himself out of the title fight after Antonelli claimed his eighth Grand Prix victory of the season in Madrid. However, his confidence has improved thanks to his greater comfort in the car and his realisation that much of the pressure is now on his team-mate to defend his championship lead.

"I think the only thing that has changed is that I now feel I'm in a position where my performances are strong enough to fight for victory week in and week out. Before the summer break, I was not only losing ground in the championship, but I was also missing out on performance every weekend. Now I feel I know what I need from the car, I know what I need from myself and I don't really feel lost anymore. Confidence is back, it's grown again and everything is coming a bit more naturally, which is how it's been for me throughout most of my career and not how it was earlier this season. I'm just going to take it race by race. I'm enjoying it more than I have done recently because I just feel more at one with the car, and hopefully this new upgrade, with a few changes to its characteristics, will also play in my favour a bit more. Bring it on".

Kimi Antonelli believes George Russell has got the momentum following his victory in Azerbaijan, with the Italian expecting a tough challenge during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend in Malaysia. The Mercedes drivers experienced contrasting fortunes in Baku. Antonelli started the race from 16th on the grid after crashing during the opening segment of Qualifying, while Russell secured pole position. Antonelli recovered well on Sunday to finish fifth, while Russell held off Max Verstappen to claim his first victory since the Austrian Grand Prix in June. The result also reduced Antonelli’s championship lead over his team-mate to 66 points. Reflecting on his difficult weekend in Baku, Antonelli admitted that it was challenging but insisted that he had learned valuable lessons from the experience.

"Last weekend was probably the worst weekend of the season for me. But there was still a lot of good learning from the weekend. It was also a very strange race for me in Baku because it was one of those races where I consciously tried not to take any risks and just drive under the limit. It was very weird, but good. That was what I needed on Sunday. I needed a clean result after a very disrupted weekend. After the race, I wasn't happy with the result or everything that happened, but I learned many things. The most important thing is that I need to always be 100 per cent and really do my best to achieve the best possible result. If I don't do everything right, or I don't try to do everything within my power, then nothing is going to come my way".

Asked whether he now expects a more intense battle with Russell and whether he feels ready for it, Antonelli replied: “For sure. He had an incredible weekend in Baku and he's got the momentum.

"On my side, it was definitely the worst weekend of the season for me. But obviously I learned a lot from it and I'm really excited and looking forward to this weekend because I think it's going to be a big opportunity to score big points. Of course, the mindset is always the same: to go out there and win. But George has definitely been doing a great job, especially last weekend, and it's going to be a tough challenge. I'm looking forward to it".

Mercedes will introduce an upgrade package to the W17 in Sepang, alongside a special livery, and Antonelli admitted that he is excited to experience the circuit.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I've just done the track walk and the track looks amazing. The tarmac is very open and very abrasive, so it's going to be very hard on the tyres. We have upgrades this weekend. The more experience you gain, the more you appreciate bringing upgrades because you notice the differences and details straight away. The car looks pretty cool with the upgrades. I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully it will make us even faster".

Asked what he expects from the updates and which areas he wants to improve as a driver, Antonelli added: 

"The upgrades should bring more grip and more downforce to the car, so hopefully we'll have more grip. Let's see how the balance of the car changes with the new upgrade. As for the areas I need to improve, probably a bit of everything, to be fair. I think there are many areas where I can improve my driving. I think this track is going to be a really good test for me because there are very long corners where it's really important not to slow the car down too much. That's probably an area where I need to work quite a bit. But I'm looking forward to it. I did some laps on the simulator and it felt good, but of course we'll see what happens on the real track".

Lando Norris has reflected on the apology he made to Franco Colapinto following his post-race comments at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the Briton admitting that he got caught up in the heat of the moment in Baku. A lock-up from Colapinto at Turn 1 during the first Safety Car restart saw the Alpine driver run into team-mate Pierre Gasly, causing the Frenchman to hit Norris’s McLaren. The incident forced both Gasly and Norris to retire from the race, while Colapinto managed to return to the pits before ultimately retiring. Colapinto was subsequently handed a 10-second time penalty, which was converted into a five-place grid drop for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Speaking to the media immediately after the race, Norris said that there were some drivers that shouldn’t be in F1 and suggested that Colapinto should receive a ban. However, the World Champion later issued a statement on social media in which he explained that he had personally apologised to Colapinto for his comments. Norris discussed the situation further during media day in Sepang and was asked whether it can be helpful for drivers to rely on one another for support when situations like this occur.

"I've certainly leaned on other drivers in the past for help in different situations and advice. Not that I think this was necessarily one of those cases. It was just me not saying the right things and saying some things that aren't a true reflection of me or what I really mean deep down. I don't normally get caught up in the heat of the moment, but this was certainly one of those cases where I think I did. For me, the most important thing was to speak to Franco about it. He's the only guy, let's say, that I wanted to direct something to and cared about in this situation, and that's what I did. I spoke to him already on Sunday night as soon as I could. Of course, I put the post out later in the week to apologise and let everyone know that I did it because there was also the rest of the world that I felt I owed an apology to. As drivers, we all get along. Franco is a good friend of mine and someone I get on well with. He always means well - he's a very good guy. At the same time, I felt that I owed him that apology more than anyone else".

Alpine later issued a statement condemning the hate and abuse directed at Colapinto online following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris acknowledged that dealing with such behaviour is difficult for everyone involved.

"There's just a level of respect and humility that I think people should have. We all make mistakes. One of those things was me making a mistake last weekend. There's a level of responsibility, and as a community we need to understand how we can make things better".

Looking ahead to McLaren’s prospects at the Sepang International Circuit, Norris is hopeful that the track will suit the MCL40 better than Baku did. 

"I hope it's better than Baku - I expect it to be better than Baku. We certainly will be more confident if we can fix some of the problems I've had with my car. Over the weekend in Baku, it just made my car more difficult than it needed to be, particularly because of the straight-line speed and power problems we've been having. I want to believe so. I think we still believe as a team that we have a competitive car and that it's still strong in certain areas. Hopefully, a combination of all these things means we can have a better weekend".

Lewis Hamilton has offered his perspective on the negative narrative surrounding Fred Vasseur’s tenure as Ferrari Team Principal, backing the Frenchman at a time when he believes outside sources are attempting to break our spirit. Ferrari’s lack of podium finishes over the last five rounds had fuelled speculation over Vasseur’s position, with the situation further intensified by comments from former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who described Ferrari as his dream destination. In response, Ferrari met with selected media representatives and expressed their full confidence in Vasseur, stating that the team’s priority was to remain united and cohesive while focusing its energy on the work ahead. Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Hamilton was asked for his thoughts on the statement and how the rumours had affected the team.

"I think it's good that they did it. In terms of how it unifies the team, I think we already were unified. Honestly, I think outside sources seem to be so negative towards us as a team and trying to break our spirit, but they're not succeeding. People can continue with the negative narrative, but inside, everyone is working really hard. Fred is the guy to lead us and he's doing a fantastic job. If you look at the history and how many people they've replaced in that role, I feel like we're in a better place than we've been before. But ultimately, it's not a one-man situation. It's lots and lots of people coming together. If you want to point fingers, point them somewhere else. There are people above who are also part of it. It's a lot of people. I feel like we should take the message from this: Fred is in his position, he's not going anywhere, and I'm here to stay with him. I still fully believe in where we're going".

There had been hopes that Hamilton’s spectacular maiden Ferrari victory in Barcelona would ignite a title challenge against Mercedes, but the team’s form has declined since Formula 1 returned from the summer break. Although incidents such as Hamilton’s clash with Charles Leclerc in Monza and brake problems in Madrid contributed to difficult results, the seven-time World Champion believes the team’s consistent work under Vasseur deserves greater recognition.

"On a race weekend, other teams make mistakes and no one really says much about them, but we make the same mistake and it's ten times worse for Ferrari, for whatever reason. On one side, I respect that they want to hold Ferrari to the highest level, but ultimately we're all human beings, we're all trying our hardest and showing up every single weekend. We're second in the Constructors' Championship - a huge improvement from last year already - and that's with a power deficit of an average of four tenths every single weekend. Sometimes it's six tenths, and we've still been delivering some really decent performances. That highlights just how great a job the people at the factory have done. I think all the negativity takes away from that. Of course we're not where we want to be, but if you go from last year's experience, you don't immediately go to number one. It's a process and I think we've built a good foundation this year. We need to continue building on it. We're not perfect yet, but I do believe we can get there".

After a frustrating first campaign with Ferrari, Hamilton has worked to improve his situation and close the gap to his team-mate. The Briton is currently 20 points ahead in the standings and explained that Vasseur’s cooperation and understanding have played a role in that progress.

"I'm happy with my treatment. Fred has been fantastic working with me and I think our relationship as a whole, even with the bosses, is in a much better place than it ever was. Of course, people making comments have absolutely no clue what they're talking about ultimately, because they're not inside the team. They don't know what's happening inside the team, how it's structured or what the weaknesses are. Obviously, I'm inside the team and I know all those things. I'm not going to speak about them, but I will continue to try and work with the people in positions of power to make the changes. Making changes isn't a quick process. People weren't always willing to do so early on, but Fred has made a lot of the changes that I've asked for and there are more for us to do".

Charles Leclerc, who has worked under Vasseur since he replaced Mattia Binotto as Ferrari Team Principal in 2023, said he feels exactly the same as Hamilton and dismissed the speculation surrounding his boss.

"I think it's very clear the relationship I have with Fred, but it goes a lot further than that. It's not only about our relationship, but also about his capabilities. I think he's exceptional at what he does and I fully trust Fred. Inside the team, it's always been extremely clear that Fred has had the support. But for whatever reason, every three or four years there are those crazy rumours around the team. I've been with the team for quite a few years, so unfortunately I'm getting used to these kinds of events. It's not easy and I don't think it's respectful either because we're all here trying to do our absolute best. Sometimes we'll make mistakes and sometimes we'll do great things. But for people to take the opportunity whenever there's something we could have done slightly better and start those rumours is just not nice. But one thing is certain - Fred has all our support and we're very proud to have him with us inside the team. I hope we can bring the team back to the top as soon as possible and put an end to those rumours".

Max Verstappen has set his sights on at least winning one race this year, with the Dutchman encouraged by his recent run of podium finishes. Red Bull currently sit fourth in the Constructors’ Championship after a more difficult first half of the season compared with their rivals at the front. However, the Milton Keynes-based team appears to have made progress in recent Grands Prix, highlighted by a 2-3 finish for Verstappen and team-mate Isack Hadjar in Azerbaijan. Verstappen narrowly missed out on his first victory of the campaign in Baku, crossing the finish line less than two tenths of a second behind George Russell. Asked during media day ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia about the fact that he alone had outscored Ferrari and McLaren over the previous three races, the four-time World Champion expressed his desire to return to the top step while acknowledging that Red Bull still has work to do.

"Unfortunately, we're not outscoring Mercedes. They're actually the fastest ones, or at least they were for most of the season. But yeah, I'm trying everything I can. We are scoring quite a few podiums now, but I want to win. That's what I'm here for, and I'm getting close. But I want at least to win one race this year, so I hope we can do it at some point. We have some solid results. I think the parts that we brought to the car in Baku also worked well, but we know that Baku has always been quite a good track for us. It's quite unique with the 90-degree corners and you don't really have many high-speed corners".

Verstappen admitted that the remaining races of the 2026 season could also be valuable in helping Red Bull prepare for next year.

"We have to wait a little bit over the coming races to see how our car is going to perform, which is also quite good for us to experience all these different kinds of tracks. For next year, we'll probably learn a lot from these races about what we need and what we want to do with the car. We're not fighting for the championship anyway, so for us it's a big learning curve. But of course, the last few weekends have been a lot better than the start of the season".

Asked whether preparing for 2027 is now a key motivation for Red Bull, particularly with Mercedes set to introduce an upgrade in Bahrain, Verstappen replied: “Yeah, probably.

"Normally, if you bring an upgrade, it should make the car faster. With Mercedes already being at the pace they're at, it will probably be very tricky. But it doesn't matter. Every single weekend, we'll try to do our best and we'll see where that takes us this weekend".

Verstappen was the most recent driver to win at the Sepang International Circuit during Formula 1's last visit in 2017, and the Dutchman has fond memories of racing at the Malaysian venue.

"I always enjoyed racing here because I really liked the track layout. It wasn't very straightforward because there's always high degradation and it's generally very hot, so it's quite uncomfortable to drive physically. But yeah, great memories".

With the Sepang International Circuit hosting an F1 event for the first time since 2017, many drivers on the grid have not previously experienced the Malaysian track - meaning that Friday’s first practice offers a valuable initial opportunity to get to grips with the venue. Franco Colapinto leads the pack out as the session gets underway at 12:30 p.m. local time, the Alpine racer one of a small number to sport the soft tyres while the majority of the field bolts on the medium compound for their first laps. Another driver to use the soft rubber is Arvid Lindblad, with the Racing Bulls driver likely to start from the back of the grid on Sunday after the team reports that he is taking on a fifth power unit this weekend. Verstappen - the last driver to win in Malaysia back in 2017 - goes fastest at the 15-minute mark, while second-placed Russell seems to be enjoying the challenge of mastering Sepang, the Briton radioing in: 

"This track is very cool".

Russell is followed by Kimi Antonelli on the timesheets, with Mercedes running an upgrade for the event as well as sporting a special livery in tribute to their title partner Petronas. Meanwhile, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto comments on the high temperatures amid hot and humid conditions. Verstappen remains at the top of the order as the session reaches its halfway point, while Lindblad climbs up to P3 to split the Silver Arrows. The picture starts to evolve, however, as many drivers switch to the soft tyres, with Hadjar going fastest before being displaced by Russell. An even quicker time from Verstappen returns the Dutchman to the top spot on a lap of 1m 37.520s, beating Russell’s effort by nearly four tenths. Antonelli, meanwhile, can go no higher than P5, while a purple first sector for Pierre Gasly helps the Alpine man to slot into seventh. Elsewhere, the McLaren drivers are each running a different rear wing, with the team hoping for a better weekend after a difficult end to their race last time out in Azerbaijan. As the session moves into the final quarter, some drivers - including Russell and Antonelli - return to the medium tyres. The latter looks to be pushing, as replays show the championship leader having a wide moment out on track. Amid further laps going on the board in the closing stages - as well as something of a mini race between Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz - it is Verstappen who remains on top when the chequered flag falls, followed by Russell and the other Red Bull of Hadjar. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are fourth and sixth for Ferrari, separated by Antonelli in fifth, while the top 10 is completed by Gasly, Liam Lawson, Lindblad and the Audi of Nico Hulkenberg.

After familiarising themselves with the Sepang International Circuit earlier on Friday during a dry and sunny opening practice hour, the drivers face potentially more uncertain conditions entering FP2 as dark clouds linger over the track. Most of the field appears keen to get some early mileage on the board amid a 90 per cent chance of rain during the session, leading to a queue of cars filing out of the pit lane when the green light appears at 4:00 p.m. local time. Pierre Gasly’s race engineer voices concern over the potential impact of the forecasted shower, as all 22 drivers head out. Most opt for the medium tyres, while five drivers - the McLaren and Cadillac pairs as well as Gasly - run the soft compound. Max Verstappen continues his pace-setting form from FP1 by setting an early benchmark in the second hour, the four-time World Champion leading the way on a 1m 37.785s to go two tenths clear of George Russell. In the other Red Bull, Hadjar reports oscillations on the RB22, while things are not entirely smooth for Verstappen either as the Dutchman radios in about issues with his seating position. Around 15 minutes in, a number of drivers - including the Mercedes duo - swap to the soft tyres in order to complete their fast laps amid the continued threat of rain. While Kimi Antonelli’s effort is deleted after exceeding track limits, Russell aborts his lap in the final sector - leaving the pair in fourth and second respectively. There is a close moment between Gabriel Bortoleto and Lewis Hamilton, with Bortoleto having to take avoiding action after encountering the slower-moving Ferrari on the racing line. The incident - which sparks an irate response from Bortoleto over the radio - is noted by the stewards, while Hamilton goes on to report that he cannot see through my right mirror. With the skies appearing to clear again as the session reaches its halfway point, Leclerc sits at the top of the timesheets on a 1m 37.528s, putting the Monegasque 0.137s clear of Norris in the McLaren. Verstappen remains in third, before team mate Hadjar changes the order by slotting into P2. As FP2 moves into its final third, Verstappen and Franco Colapinto remain the only drivers yet to use the soft tyres. Meanwhile, Bortoleto asks the Audi team to check the floor of his car after running wide during a battle with Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad, a fight that continues over several laps. While Colapinto makes a late switch to the soft tyres, Verstappen remains on the medium compound as the teams look to complete their Friday programmes, with many focused on long runs during the closing stages. The yellow flags are thrown with two minutes to spare when Bortoleto comes to a halt at the side of the track, the Brazilian stepping out of his stricken car as a Virtual Safety Car is subsequently deployed. As the chequered flag falls, Leclerc’s earlier effort ultimately remains unbeaten in P1. Hadjar proves to be the closest challenger on a lap just under one tenth adrift, with Norris following in third while Verstappen - who stays in the garage during the final stages, meaning that he does not run the soft tyre - is fourth. Hamilton places in fifth ahead of an investigation into his alleged impeding incident with Bortoleto after the session, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Russell, Antonelli, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Gasly complete the top 10.

Friday saw Mercedes’ new package of upgrades break cover in Malaysia, but the day did not go entirely to plan for the Silver Arrows, with some of their rivals getting out of the blocks faster in both practice sessions. George Russell was the quicker of the two Mercedes drivers, coming home second in FP1 in an encouraging start for the team, albeit nearly four tenths down on Max Verstappen's benchmark. But both he and Kimi Antonelli faded down the order in the second session, Russell finishing seventh and the Italian eighth as mistakes on their flying laps proved costly. And with Verstappen looking quick on both the medium and soft tyre throughout the day, Charles Leclerc topping FP2 and McLaren improving as the afternoon wore on, Russell knows he is up against it if he wants to bag back-to-back pole positions - although he refused to rule himself out of the fight. 

"Currently, I think that Verstappen looks very fast, and then the race pace of McLaren looked very quick, but never say never. It was a really cool experience driving this circuit. I've never driven here before. It's a really iconic place, so that was cool .But yeah, with these conditions, tyre [degradation] is huge for everybody. And the cars are operating in a very different window. So, I think as a team, we just haven't got the car quite where we need it to be. We need to make some set-up adjustments, because we're a bit off the pace".

Russell initially ran the medium tyres in FP2 and swapped to the softs for just one flying lap. But after looking quick in the first two sectors, he got wide out of the final corner and missed cutting inside the bollard, meaning he was forced to abort and run through the pit lane instead. Antonelli also got wide on the soft tyre and lost his lap time to track limits, which contributed to both drivers being slightly out of position in the top 10. While that won’t be a great concern given the circumstances, their tyre wear might be more of a problem, with Russell and his engineer exchanging words in FP1 that indicated the team’s degradation was higher than the likes of Red Bull. As such, Russell admitted it was hard to assess the impact of their new upgrade package, which includes changes to the floor edge, sidepods and rear diffuser.

"You know, I'm feeling the extra downforce in some of the corners, but with this amount of tyre overheating and tyre degradation, that kind of trumps everything. So, we just need to get on top of that overnight, that's more of a set-up rather than the upgrade itself, and go from there".

Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord was in agreement about just how tricky the day was for the team, despite their drivers managing 56 laps between them in FP2. 

"It's probably been one of our toughest Fridays of the season so far, and the competitive picture looks a lot more like it did, say, in somewhere like Hungary than maybe last weekend in Baku. The feedback from the drivers has been positive about the upgrades, they can feel more downforce in the high-speed corners and that sort of thing. We've got make sure that we're running the car where it's now at its happiest with that update and there'll be lots of work this evening to trawl through the data and just make sure we're sort of ticking everything off in the right way. Equally, we haven't got any opportunity to revert on the update here this weekend, so you know we've got what we've got and we need to make the most of it. The long runs all look very close, probably Verstappen was the class of the field in both FP1 and FP2 on the different tyres, but it looks like a very, very close-fought thing just behind him. So, we're right in that mix and with a few improvements we can take a step forward from there".

Max Verstappen was left satisfied with a positive first day on track at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, despite admitting to still having some things to figure out amid challenging conditions. After narrowly missing out on a first victory of the season last weekend in Azerbaijan, Verstappen voiced his hope during Thursday’s media day of taking a win before the season is over - and while there is still plenty of action ahead, the Red Bull driver threw the gauntlet down by going fastest in first practice at Sepang. Despite ending the second hour a little further down the timesheets in fourth - having not completed a run on the soft tyre during the session - Verstappen continued to look quick on the medium compound and appeared pleased with how his Friday had played out.

"I think we had a decent start, but it's tricky. The track is really hot, a lot of degradation, so a lot of things to figure out but it's been positive".

Pushed on whether he had been able to make progress with the learnings through the day, Verstappen responds:

"I mean, progress is difficult. It was warmer again in FP2, different programmes, so hard to say progress, but there's still a lot of things to look at to try and understand better".

The 29-year-old went on to confirm that he had not used the soft tyre during the second session, explaining of the decision:

"I wanted to do a long run in case there was some rain coming in".

Red Bull’s Technical Director Pierre Wache shed further light on the reason, admitting that the squad were keen to gather more data on the medium compound.

"I think we had a little bit of an issue with the car and the rain coming. The forecast said the rain will come, then we didn't want to compromise the long run that I think is the most important thing for this weekend, in terms of degradation and to see how the tyre behaves, and especially the medium because we didn't have data on the medium. We favoured that, and after it was too late to run the soft".

Wache also gave his take on how the day had generally worked out for the team, commenting: 

"We were not very optimistic, to be honest, starting the weekend. The main aspect for us was to evaluate the package we put in Baku, in different types of corner than low speed. It looks to be working better than the previous package. Relative performance is difficult to judge here, but we were surprisingly happy with where we were today".

In terms of where the team place against their rivals, Wache suggested that it is difficult to say, but added that clearly Mercedes and McLaren also looked quite quick on the long run. And while some may be concerned by the prospect of rain over the course of the weekend, Wache is hopeful that this could prove interesting when it comes to strategy choices.

"There's a chance of rain every day, every session. We've never run in the rain properly. The first time we ran in the rain was in Barcelona. The car evolved a lot. We don't know how the car will behave around this condition - it's a surprise. I hope it will give us a little bit some gamble in terms of strategy and how to play with. Let's see where we are".

McLaren have detailed what caught them a little bit by surprise on the first day of track action at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with Oscar Piastri suggesting that the team appear to be a tiny step behind their rivals at the front. After Piastri and Lando Norris ended FP1 in 11th and 12th on the timesheets respectively, the squad looked to have made progress during the second session as Norris climbed up to P3, while Piastri set the sixth-fastest time of the hour. Reflecting back on Friday’s running later on, Piastri conceded that first practice had not been smooth sailing for the Woking-based outfit.

"We definitely looked better in FP2 than FP1. FP1 we were struggling a lot, to be honest. Things seemed a bit more positive in FP2. Obviously it was a bit of an interesting session because everyone was expecting rain and then we didn't get it, so I think the tyre choices and things like that were a little bit different to normal, but we seemed reasonable. I don't know what the long run pace was like really, but no, interesting first day".

In terms of the McLaren’s prospects for Qualifying, Piastri predicted that there could be little to choose between the leading pack.

"I think it looks pretty, pretty close amongst the top four teams. I think Red Bull have looked very strong through the day. I think Mercedes as well have looked strong at points and obviously Ferrari were pretty good then. So everyone's kind of had their turn being reasonably competitive. I think we're maybe a tiny step behind, but we made a lot of progress from FP1. So hopefully we can keep that trend going and we'll see where we end up".

McLaren’s Senior Racing Director Randy Singh also gave his take on the team’s start in Malaysia and admitted that the conditions had posed a challenge.

"The track's a lot lower grip than we expected coming here, a lot rougher as well, so that caught us a little bit by surprise. I think we struggled getting the car in a good window in FP1, but a lot of good work at the track, and at the factory, in FP2. I think the car is in a much better place".

Quizzed on whether the papaya squad could be in the fight for pole position on Saturday, Singh answer: 

"I think we're just focused on doing the best we can with the package that we have and I think we've still got lots of potential to try and exploit, a lot of work left to do, so very hard to say at this stage".

Charles Leclerc has highlighted what will be the main talking point in Sepang as he namechecked Red Bull and Mercedes as standouts in the competitive order. Ferrari looked to enjoy a positive day of running during the first two sessions of on-track action at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the Monegasque finishing fourth in FP1 before going on to top the timesheets in FP2. Team mate Lewis Hamilton was also in the upper echelons of the order with a P6 and P5 in first and second practice respectively. However, when quizzed on how his Friday had gone, Leclerc insisted the Scuderia were not the most competitive before going on to highlight the performance shown from both Red Bull and Mercedes.

"I mean it's been a very, very difficult day overall. The track conditions were very tricky - the track was quite dirty actually and very slippery - so I think things will change and evolve a lot from today to tomorrow. We've got to be on the good side of things, anticipating that in the best possible way, but today hasn't been a bad day. I felt quite good with the car, but I still feel like the Red Bull, for example, is standing out this weekend so far. Isack, I think, did some mistakes in the last part of the lap, and Max didn't do the lap on the soft tyres, so I don't think we are the most competitive, and also the Mercedes is a bit difficult to understand".

While Mercedes have been the class leaders so far in 2026, and brought a significant upgrade package to the Sepang International Circuit this weekend, a question mark remains over their performance after George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished seventh and eighth respectively in the day’s second practice session. However, both drivers were unable to set a clean lap on the softs during the session and Leclerc believes it won’t take long for the Silver Arrows to figure things out.

"They don't often get it wrong, so I wouldn't underestimate them. I mean, I'm sure that once they all put everything together, they'll be very strong. They've been the favourite since the beginning, since the first race, and normally when they put something on the car it works very well. So yeah, let's see how it goes but the best thing we can do anyway is to focus on ourselves and maximise what we have".

One of the key challenges facing the drivers this weekend - in addition to the hot weather and chance of rain - is the tyre degradation on track, with Leclerc calling it insane over the radio during FP1. With Sunday’s Grand Prix on the horizon, the Ferrari man believes the degradation will be the main talking point when all is said and done.

"The degradation is going to be the main talking point of the weekend, so yeah, that will make the race very interesting and we need to be on top of that. Today, we've seen a lot of degradation. I think we have normally quite a good race car but there's a lot work to be done and a small difference in some corners can make a huge difference in degradation. But we had a good day today. I think we did a lot of work, we learned a lot of things, but there is still plenty to work on before Sunday".

Speaking after Friday’s action, Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur concurred with Leclerc’s sentiments, acknowledging that the track condititions would be tough to get to grips with.

"Over the last five or six weekends [this is] the first one we are more focused on degradation than something else. Conditions are a bit extreme and, for everybody, it's almost a new track. It means that we have a lot to do and a lot to improve. Also, the track was quite poor in terms of grip today - it will probably improve tomorrow. It means that we need to anticipate everything to be ready for tomorrow".

Any Ferrari Formula 1 Team Principal is always in the spotlight, and in the case of Fred Vasseur the gossip ramped up over the Baku weekend in the wake of former Red Bull chief Christian Horner’s suggestion that he would welcome a role with the Maranello-based team. Not surprisingly, that fuelled speculation that Vasseur is under pressure, and that Horner was a possible candidate to replace him. Just before the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia weekend kicked off, Ferrari moved to dampen the speculation with a media call, where it was made clear that Vasseur had the full support of the team - and, most importantly, both its Chairman John Elkann and Chief Executive Officer Benedetto Vigna. Then on Thursday in Sepang, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both backed their boss, with the former calling the chat about Vasseur not nice and disrespectful. On Friday, Vasseur appeared in the press conference alongside Alpine's Flavio Briatore and Williams' James Vowles, with the Frenchman asked why it was felt the Ferrari media call had been necessary.

"You have to ask your colleagues. When you see the noise and all the rumours in the press all the week, I think as a team we need to work in serenity. And it was absolutely not the case. And I think the statement, it was mandatory to do something, or it could have been the same this weekend. But honestly, the big issue that we have today is to put stability, put serenity into the team, the focus that we need to have - and not to have this kind of question all day".

While Hamilton backed Vasseur on Thursday, calling him a fantastic leader, he also indicated the Ferrari structure could be improved, noting that:

"There are changes that I would make, but I'm not going to talk about what those are".

When reminded of Hamilton’s comments and asked if he felt changes were also required below him, Vasseur made it clear that any team has to evolve, referencing a previous answer from Briatore about bolstering Alpine's technical leadership.

"First of all, the structure of the team, I think as Flavio said before, in the individual recruitment, at least, it's a never-ending story. I think that you have to improve. I think it's the DNA of what we are doing to not take a success as a final situation, but to try to improve in the good and the bad moments. And honestly, the dynamic that we have, we have recruited a lot, as have the other teams. On the comment of Lewis, I think it would be a mistake to finger point someone or something or whatever. In the good moment, we are winning as a team, in the bad moment, we are suffering as a team, and I don't want to speak about single individual or whatever. We had a good beginning of the season. But for sure, it's not enough. We want to get more, we want to win more, we want to win the championship. But at the end of the day, we had a positive start, we are struggling the last couple of races, but we are hoping to come back with development".

Pressed further on whether organisational changes were needed he says: 

"Honestly, the relationship that I have with my bosses, Benedetto and John, is a very good one. We are in daily contact, and I can't complain at all about the organisation. But for sure, you always want to get more. You always want to do more. You always want to recruit more. But I think it's true for me, and it's true for everybody on the grid that you always want to do more because of the DNA of what we are doing. But honestly, it has nothing to do with the organisation".

Asked about the intense focus that’s always applied to a Ferrari boss, Vasseur stressed that he knew that would come with the territory.

"When you take the role, you know the positive and the negative side of the job. I was expecting something like this. What is sometimes a bit unfair, and when you put someone under the bus, I'm there also to defend my team, my guys. As I said before, when we are winning, we are winning as a team. But when we are struggling, I'm there to defend them, to all of them. And I think it's the right attitude from everybody, from them to defend the Team Principal, from me to defend them when we are struggling. Now honestly, I knew that what I will get with this job, I'm not surprised at all. But sometimes the attacks are a bit personal - and this is not good".

After what the Silver Arrows describe as one of their toughest Fridays of the season, the team looks to have enjoyed a much stronger start to Saturday as Antonelli works his way down to a 1m 36.302s, putting him nearly three tenths clear of Verstappen. It is a relatively quiet start to the session when the green light appears at 12:30 p.m. local time, with Cadillac’s Sergio Perez - one of 10 current drivers present on the grid when Formula 1 last races at Sepang in 2017 - being the first to hit the track. More cars start to emerge as the clock ticks down, many sporting the soft tyres for their opening runs on another day of hot and humid conditions, and Charles Leclerc - bucking the trend by using the hard compound - sets an early benchmark by recording a lap of 1m 37.772. The McLaren pair emerge on the medium tyres, with Lando Norris promptly displacing Leclerc at the top of the timesheets by going six tenths faster. Team mate Oscar Piastri slots into second, albeit three tenths away from Norris’ time. A red flag is thrown just before the halfway point of the session due to some debris on track, with replays showing that this comes from Ollie Bearman’s Haas. Some drivers are yet to make an appearance by this stage, including the Mercedes pair, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. That all changes when the action resumes as a queue of cars emerges from the pit lane. Red Bull joins McLaren in opting for the medium tyres, while most remain on the soft rubber - including Antonelli, who goes quickest on a 1m 36.924s. Verstappen, meanwhile, sets the fastest first sector but winds up in fourth place, the Dutchman having seemingly encountered traffic later on in his lap. Others also seem to be facing this issue on an increasingly busy track, with Hamilton seen waving his hand after finding himself stuck behind the slower-moving Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindblad. With 15 minutes left on the clock, the McLaren pair switch to the soft tyres - but Norris’ effort is not enough to lift him higher than his P3 slot, while Piastri also remains in fifth place. Aston Martin, meanwhile, catches the eye as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll move up to 11th and 14th respectively. Most of the field are back on the circuit as the session nears its end, and Leclerc improves to split the Mercedes cars in second place. The order rapidly evolves, however, as others cross the line, with Antonelli going even quicker at the top while Verstappen and Hadjar slot into second and third. Antonelli’s impressive lap of 1m 36.302s keeps him in P1 as the hour draws to a close, Verstappen being 0.278s adrift in P2 while Hadjar is half a second back in third. George Russell has a six-tenths deficit to his team mate in P4, and the Ferrari duo of Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton follow in fifth and sixth. Norris and Piastri are seventh and eighth, with Franco Colapinto in the Alpine and Lindblad rounding out the top 10.

Each hour of practice sees a different team top the times - Red Bull does it with Verstappen in FP1, Ferrari with Leclerc in FP2, and Mercedes with Antonelli in FP3 - so when Qualifying arrives, the battle for pole position looks wide open. Although no one qualifies at the Sepang International Circuit since 2017, it is a slow start to the session when the light turns green at 1600 local time, with Haas the first to send their drivers out. As they complete their opening efforts around the 1m 38s mark, they are joined by the majority of their competitors for the remaining 12 minutes. Everyone bar the Ferrari and Audi drivers opts for the soft tyres, which Antonelli makes the most of to set a new benchmark of 1m 37.041s. That time is soon beaten by a flying Verstappen, who goes half a second clear before his team mate slots into P2, marking a strong start for Red Bull. However, the medium compound proves to be competitive for the Scuderia as Hamilton and Leclerc move into second and third respectively. With the clock ticking down, both Haas cars - Bearman suffers a lock-up at Turn 1 that impacts his second lap - Williams’ Albon, Aston Martin’s Stroll and the Cadillac pair of Bottas and Perez are all facing elimination. The traffic is slightly better in the final minutes as drivers from the top four teams all elect to stay in their garages, giving more space around the circuit. Alpine are eager to capitalise on this, with Gasly offering a tow to Colapinto to ensure their progression to Q2. Stroll executes a great lap to improve to P11, but Bortoleto catches the eye with a P8-worthy time that includes the fastest first sector of the session. Unfortunately for Audi, his team mate Hulkenberg is knocked out in P17, missing out by just 0.087s.

He is joined by Bearman, Ocon, Albon, Bottas and Perez, with the Finn reporting that’s as fast as she goes while Ocon expresses his concerns that Haas goes out too early. Getting two quick laps on the board is the priority for the remaining teams, and Red Bull once again shoots to the top of the timesheets early on as Verstappen posts a 1m 35.696s, becoming the first driver to go under the 1m 36s bracket. Leclerc is the next to tick that achievement off, albeit two tenths down on the Dutchman, while Antonelli’s time is deleted for exceeding track limits. That puts him on the back foot heading into the final five minutes and he comes straight back out on new soft tyres, giving him limited fresh sets if he makes it through to Q3. Although it looks like a more cautious lap, it is enough to send him into P2 behind Verstappen, which puts the pressure on midfield teams like Racing Bulls to snag a position in the top 10. Lindblad, already set for a back-row start due to a power unit change, gives his team mate a tow instead of setting a representative time, helping Lawson to surge into P10. However, another fantastic effort from Bortoleto demotes the New Zealander to P11, with 0.209s separating them. Lawson is joined by Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Colapinto - whose result is also affected by two grid penalties for the Baku incident and new engine - and Lindblad. As the usual frontrunners from Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull prepare to go up against Bortoleto and Gasly in the top-10 shootout, the question remains as to whether anyone is able to topple Verstappen. Amid high track temperatures, Russell can only manage a 1m 36.032s, which is rapidly eclipsed by Hadjar before Hamilton and Leclerc move into second and third. 

Their efforts are followed by another stellar lap for Verstappen, earning him provisional pole by three tenths over his team mate. While McLaren’s Piastri separates the Ferraris and Norris takes P6, Antonelli waits until everyone else’s first runs have concluded to challenge for pole position - but even he can’t get close to Verstappen, with his lap only enough for P3. The Dutchman decides to go again and cuts his time down to 1m 35.130s, solidifying his P1 start as Hamilton delivers his best lap of the weekend to secure a place on the front row. Hadjar drops to third, which becomes eighth once his grid penalty is imposed, as Antonelli finishes P4. Leclerc is fifth in the second Ferrari ahead of the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri, leaving Russell scratching his head at his significant deficit in P8 while Gasly and Bortoleto round out the top 10 for Alpine and Audi. Max Verstappen has hailed his first pole position of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as pretty incredible, with the Dutchman keen to convert the result into a maiden 2026 victory. Red Bull faced a more challenging start to the campaign than their rivals at the front, leaving the squad in fourth place of the Teams’ Championship with a significant deficit to the top three. The Milton Keynes-based outfit have enjoyed an upturn in form of late, however, with Verstappen only missing out on a win at last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix by less than two tenths - and this level of performance looked to have continued as F1 returned to Sepang. After setting the pace in both Q1 and Q2, Verstappen went fastest again during Q3 to seal pole position with a lap time of 1m 35.130s, putting him nearly three tenths clear of closest challenger Lewis Hamilton. The four-time World Champion reflected on the journey that Red Bull have been on to this point as he commented after the session: 

"It’s fantastic. We’ve been trying many Grands Prix to get pole, sometimes a bit closer than others, but to finally get it from where we started the season, it’s pretty incredible".

Pushed on whether this could be where he finally scores his first win of the season, Verstappen responds: 

"I’m happy with today and for sure I’m going to try to win tomorrow. When you start first, that’s the target".

Verstappen shared further reflections on the result later and admitted that, despite his strong pace throughout Friday and Saturday, it was still difficult to know whether pole might be on the cards.

Lewis Hamilton has praised Ferrari for finding the sweet spot in Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the Briton set to start on the front row alongside polesitter Max Verstappen. This weekend marks F1’s first visit to the Sepang International Circuit since 2017, so there were plenty of unknowns heading into the session, especially as the three hours of practice had seen Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes all top the times. That meant that it was all to play for in Qualifying, but Hamilton didn’t initially seem to be in the mix as he had finished behind Charles Leclerc in the preceding sessions, leaving him pleasantly surprised when his final lap in Q3 earned him P2 on the grid. He had the slim advantage of having raced in Malaysia before and was elated to produce such a strong result on his return, as he explain:

"I think this is the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen here, at least in my time of driving, so I love this energy. A big thank you to Malaysia for welcoming us. It's so hot here, I keep saying it, but that's made it a massive challenge for the tyres, for the car, for the mechanics in the garage, and I'm really, really thankful to my team. We've made so many changes through all these practice sessions and, because the cars are sliding, these tyres are overheating, it was really, really hard to find a good balance, and we made one last change going into Qualifying and I think we hit the sweet spot. To be able to close the gap to two or three tenths to Max, who's been so quick all weekend, is great and, yeah, I'm so, so grateful".

Despite Ferrari’s successful efforts to eke out more performance as the weekend progressed, Hamilton noted that any improvements won’t necessarily help them in the Grand Prix, especially as tyre degradation is set to play a significant role.

"I'm much happier with where the car is, but tomorrow is a completely different ballgame. Making these tyres last around this track... I mean, they're overheating from the get-go, so every little bit of wheelspin you have, every little snap you have, depending on the wind, makes a difference of how far you're going to go. But I like to think we've got a good balance. Max was really quick on his long runs, so I'll just try my best to hold on to it tomorrow".

After setting the fastest time in FP2, his team mate Leclerc settled for P5 in Qualifying, but is set to gain a position once Isack Hadjar’s five-place grid penalty for taking a new engine is imposed. While the Monegasque cut a more frustrated figure than Hamilton as balance issues impacted his lap times in Q3, he was optimistic that he would be able to challenge some of their frontrunning rivals in the race.

"I started losing some performance from Q2, particularly when I started pushing the car. The rear started to struggle a little bit more and getting into Q3, that was too much so I was a little bit overbalanced for Q3. All in all, it hasn’t been a bad Qualifying. I think Lewis did a super lap and probably didn’t leave much on the table. On my side, it’s P4 tomorrow. It’s all to fight for with the guys in front. It should be an interesting race. We are relatively close to the guys in front. Mercedes seemed to be extremely strong yesterday and also this morning. Today in Qualifying [they were] maybe a bit less strong compared to what we expected, so I expect them to be back to where they normally are in the race. If so, it’s going to be difficult to beat them".

Isack Hadjar says he is enjoying having a very good car beneath him upon his return from injury, having been third fastest in Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The event in Sepang is just the Frenchman’s second since missing three rounds due to a wrist injury suffered whilst training in the summer break. Last time out in Baku the Red Bull driver celebrated a third place podium finish, and despite being third quickest in Qualifying in Malaysia, he will start the race from P8 following a grid penalty for taking a seventh internal combustion engine (ICE) - with only four permitted.

"It’s a bit unfortunate we take the penalty on the track where we're that fast. But from eighth, hopefully we can go through the field and come back for a good result".

Hadjar has been closer to the pace of Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen, who starts on pole for the first time in 2026, but was disappointed he couldn’t lock out the front row.

"I was quite happy up until that very last lap, and then it’s like we had a downgrade on that final lap in all aspects. On the tyres, the grip I felt, we were down on power, so nothing really aligned when I felt like an easy P2 was achievable. You know, it’s the first time in my life that I actually feel like we do a terrible job and we’re third, so that’s the perks of having a very good car, and I won’t lie, it’s very satisfying".

With his team mate Verstappen up front, does Hadjar think he can fight back from eighth for a podium?

"It’s going to be so difficult to overtake on just raw pace and having to go for it on a track like that, all the temperatures are through the roof, and following cars is going to be difficult. So I think the only way is just, you know, be smart with the strategy, as clean as we can, and just go for it. It’s going to be fun".

Kimi Antonelli was left feeling that more might have been possible after securing P3 in Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the Italian believing that he could have reached the front row had it not been for an earlier track limits violation. After what seemed to be a tricky day for Mercedes on Friday, Antonelli looked to have bounced back by going fastest during Saturday’s third and final practice. However, the championship leader faced an additional challenge in Qualifying when his initial lap time in Q2 was deleted due to exceeding track limits. This resulted in Antonelli returning to the track on new soft tyres, meaning that he was subsequently limited in terms of having more fresh sets in Q3. As such, the 20-year-old waited until the circuit was clear to record his first lap in the final segment, with his time initially putting him in P3 before being pushed down to fourth - yet he will ultimately move back up to third due to a penalty for Isack Hadjar ahead. Reflecting back on the session, Antonelli says: 

"It's a shame because with only one set of soft tyres, there was big pressure. I did what I could, but definitely with another set, we could have fought for front row - not P1, because Max was just too quick today. So probably front row was possible today, but obviously a shame with the track limits and we'll try to do our best tomorrow".

After being reminded that he will start from third rather than fourth due to Hadjar’s penalty - which he admitted was not too bad and good news.

"We'll try to do our best with what we have. Deg is going to be very big - we'll see if it's going to be a matter of two stops, three stops. Also, rain is around tomorrow. So yeah, we'll try everything we can, and I’m looking forward to it tomorrow".

George Russell was at a loss to explain what happened to his Qualifying pace in Sepang as the Mercedes driver was left to settle for eighth, which will translate into a seventh-place start thanks to Isack Hadjar’s penalty. Mercedes conceded that their Friday running ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia had been one of their toughest of the season so far, but Russell was still confident he could be in the fight for pole on Saturday. Given the Briton’s stellar performance in Baku last time out, where he claimed a Grand Slam victory, he was also buoyed by a renewed sense of consistency in his performances and a feeling of being more at one with the car.

However, on a weekend where Mercedes brought a significant upgrade package, Russell finds himself down the order after Max Verstappen claimed a decisive pole, while the Briton’s team mate and title rival Kimi Antonelli will start Sunday’s race from third - the Italian sits 66 points ahead of Russell at the top of the drivers’ standings.

"We don't know, in all honesty. It's the most demanding circuit on the tyres, so we don't know exactly why we didn't have the pace. I think from Friday it was clear we weren't on the pace of the Red Bulls and then throughout the course of this weekend we just haven't really progressed. The others have caught up and overtaken, but I think tomorrow the race is going to be a totally different story. Very high tyre degradation, all three tyre compounds look viable, so I think there will be some opportunities".

With tyre degradation proving to be the main talking point of the weekend so far, Sunday’s Grand Prix looks like it could be an exciting affair with drivers and teams preparing for a race with plenty of stops. Throw in the possibility of unpredictable weather and there could be plenty of opportunities for the drivers and teams should they make the right strategy calls, with Russell optimistic he can move up the order.

"I think we can fight for the podium. I think I can move forward, but I really don't know. It was a strange one out there today".

Lando Norris has conceded that McLaren are struggling in Malaysia as they find themselves a long way off the pace set by Red Bull, with the reigning World Champion qualifying outside of the top five. Neither Norris nor his team mate Oscar Piastri had competed at the Sepang International Circuit before, so they took the time to make gradual progress throughout Free Practice before facing the challenge of Qualifying. While Verstappen dominated the session for Red Bull, McLaren dropped behind both Ferrari drivers and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, leaving Norris to settle for P6. He will, however, start in the P5 grid slot as third-placed qualifier Isack Hadjar is set to receive a five-place penalty for an engine change. Reflecting on his 0.6s deficit to Verstappen, Norris says: 

"There's not a lot I can do about that. I can only be satisfied with my own job. Yes, we’re a long way off the pace but it's just the way it is. The car is struggling. It's clear that everything's been shaken up a little bit, but you know that you expected the Mercedes to be quicker. It's been surprising to see how quick the Red Bulls have been all weekend, so maybe we're struggling more because of the tarmac than what we would have maybe expected. But my lap was good. So from my side, in terms of putting my sectors together, putting my best lap together, I certainly did that on the final lap. A long way off, but from my own performance, I feel like I did a good job today".

With factors like weather and tyre degradation likely to impact Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, the Briton was reluctant to predict how the race will unfold for the Woking-based outfit.

"There's certainly a lot to play for. We're still six tenths off the pace, off of Max, and it's clear that the Red Bull is also a quick car with Isack up there, and they've both done a good job. I think it'll be a tough race. It'll be a new one for us because I don't think we've ever had that high degradation this year. Tomorrow is going to be pretty crazy I think so let's wait and see. It's a long race, a lot of opportunities. My car is still slow on the straights for some reason so it's still going to be a tough race for me, tougher than what it should be".

It was a similarly disappointing session for Piastri, who qualified just behind Norris in P7 and admitted that he left some performance on the table when it came to his final lap.

"It was tricky out there for sure. I think my last lap I went through Turn 2 and didn't have a whole lot of grip so I need to understand what happened there. Other than that it was a decent session, just unfortunate to not quite get that last lap as good as I wanted it to be. I thought it was a pretty good session in general, just we're not fast enough yet".

Asked whether he’ll be able to take the fight to their rivals ahead, Piastri responds: 

"It's going to be tough. I think our long run pace did look pretty good yesterday, but the others around didn't look bad. We'll have to wait and see what we can do, but I think it's going to be a challenging afternoon".

At the end of an entertaining Qualifying session around the Sepang International Circuit, Verstappen grabs his and Red Bull’s first pole position of the 2026 season, just ahead of Ferrari rival Hamilton. Hadjar rounds out the top three positions in the sister Red Bull, but subsequently takes a five-place grid penalty for using extra power unit elements, promoting Mercedes driver championship leader Antonelli to third, and Ferrari’s Leclerc to fourth. Elsewhere, Alpine’s Colapinto and Racing Bulls’ Lindblad drop to the very back of the grid. Colapinto serves a five-place penalty for his Turn 1 collision in Azerbaijan last time out, coupled with a 10-place drop for taking on new power unit elements, while Lindblad also fits new PU components, resulting in a combined 30-place demotion. With that grid-deciding session out of the way, attention soon turns to Sunday’s 56-lap Grand Prix, and how many pit stops drivers might need given the high levels of tyre degradation witnessed in practice - Pirelli predicts either a two- or three-stop race. That is answered a couple of minutes before the scheduled start of 3:00 p.m. local time, when Race Control confirms a delay - the rain is still pouring down, and teams are sheltering their multi-million dollar cars on the starting grid with gazebos. An exploratory lap by the Medical Car highlights just how tricky the conditions have become, as it slides its way around the track and subsequently reports a significant amount of standing water, which means conditions are not currently suitable to start the race. At around 3:10 p.m. local time, the rain appears to ease slightly, bringing cheers from the grandstands and grass banks lining the track, which only grow louder when the Medical Car appears for another assessment. By 1525, F1’s governing body, the FIA, reports that only a couple of corners are still an issue, thanks to a combination of lighter rainfall and the marshals sweeping the track to remove as much standing water as possible. A few minutes later, it is announced that the formation lap will take place at 3:40 p.m.. This leads to a flurry of activity as drivers who have been sheltering in the pit lane and paddock head to the grid and get strapped back into their cars. So, some 40 minutes later than planned, the 22-strong field moves away from their grid slots on intermediate tyres. According to Race Control, there will be a minimum of two laps behind the Safety Car before a standing start - subject to change based on driver feed. There is drama almost immediately when Hadjar loses control of his Red Bull exiting Turn 2 and takes a trip through the gravel, before Verstappen and then Hamilton appear to encounter power issues. Verstappen says:

"I can’t accelerate! It’s not working, guys". 

Hamilton, meanwhile, reports: 

"I’m pressing the throttle and nothing’s happening".

A few moments later, Hamilton grinds to a halt on the start/finish straight. 

"It’s a software issue that we’re trying to solve".

The seven-time World Champion is told by the Ferrari pit wall. He eventually gets going again, but is now massively out of position. With more cars encountering problems, having been lapping much more slowly than usual, Race Control feels there is no option but to suspend the starting procedure and throw a red flag - the drivers return to the pit lane and wait for a second attempt at a start. That second attempt is eventually scheduled for 4:33 p.m., with the original grid order in play. So, it is Verstappen in P1 from Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc, the McLarens, Russell and Hadjar, who manages to escape from the gravel on the first formation lap. The next question is around tyres, and the choice between intermediates or slicks given how much the track has dried up. It is soon revealed that the majority of drivers are on intermediates.

However, Hamilton, Leclerc, Gasly, Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Bearman, Bottas, Perez and Colapinto all go for softs, and Norris, Piastri, Alonso and Stroll bolt on mediums.

"There’s still a bit of spray; I think we have to stay out". 

Reports Verstappen on the latest formation lap, while Gasly drops his car through Turn 5, slides over the grass and just about collects it. 

"It’s so slippery, guys".

Says fellow soft-starter Hamilton. Perez is the only driver to pit at the end of the first lap behind the Safety Car, swapping to intermediates. One lap later, Piastri, Bortoleto, Stroll and Hulkenberg do the same. Race Control then confirms a standing start, with the Safety Car duly peeling into the pits and setting up the prospect of a thrilling run down to Turn 1. When the lights go out, with Perez pitting for a second time, Antonelli and Russell charge off the line to take P1 and P2 for Mercedes, while Lawson surges to third and engages in a wheel-to-wheel battle with polesitter Verstappen. Hadjar is up to fifth, ahead of Williams pair Sainz and Albon, the Haas of Ocon, the Racing Bulls machine of Lindblad, and the McLaren of Piastri, with Hamilton and Leclerc pushed out of the top 10 places on their slick tyres. As that tumble down the order continues, Leclerc decides to ditch his soft tyres for intermediates, while team mate Hamilton ploughs on and tries to make it work. A bit of back-and-forth follows between Hamilton and the Ferrari pit wall, before they settle on sticking with their gamble. Back at the front, Antonelli has built a lead of a couple of seconds over team mate Russell, who is then caught by Verstappen and overtaken into Turn 4. Hadjar also makes a move in the other Red Bull by clearing Lawson for P4 into the final corner. Ocon has made some more progress to run sixth, ahead of Sainz, back-row starter Lindblad and Albon, with Piastri completing the points-paying places, over Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Perez, Norris and Alonso - the latter two having stuck with their medium tyres.

"There’s smoke, like fire. I don’t know if it’s coming from my car or not".

Says Bortoleto over the radio as he tries to keep in touch with Piastri. Replays then show that Leclerc has damaged his front wing with the other Audi of Hulkenberg at the start, which lengthens the Monegasque’s pit stop as a change is made.

"It does not seem to be drying rapidly. It’s weird".

Reports Russell, who is gradually falling away from Verstappen and Antonelli. At the end of Lap 8, and heading onto Lap 9, Antonelli drifts wide at the final corner to open the door for Verstappen. Just as the Dutchman is looking for a way past, slick-shod Bottas spins off the track in the final sector and triggers a Safety Car - bringing the intermediate runners into the pits for a switch to slick tyres. Mercedes pulls off a perfect stop under pressure to keep Antonelli ahead of Verstappen, while Russell maintains position over Hadjar, Lawson, Ocon, Lindblad, Sainz, Bortoleto and Piastri. Stroll beats Albon out of the pit lane for P1, from Hulkenberg and Perez, with Hamilton, Norris and Leclerc back in 15th, 16th and 17th respectively. Alonso, Bearman, Gasly and Colapinto are the final runners at this stage. After a few laps behind the Safety Car, the race resumes and the battle for the lead resumes. Verstappen tucks into Antonelli’s slipstream as they head onto Lap 13 and launches a bold move around the outside of Turn 1, which he completes at the exit of Turn 2. Russell then brilliantly takes advantage of the squabbling to snatch P2 from Antonelli through Turn 5. Around that time, the stewards note a Turn 2 incident involving Bortoleto and Sainz - the Williams driver is tipped into a spin and drops from the top 10 to 18th position, and the Audi man pits shortly afterwards with damage.

That aids Hamilton’s recovery towards the points, as he inherits 10th before clearing Hulkenberg for ninth.

"I have more pace".

Claims Antonelli over the radio after a few tours in Russell’s dirty air. 

"We’ll do something different".

Is the reply from Mercedes, referring to strategy. Meanwhile, Verstappen is pumping in a series of fastest laps and leaving the pair behind - his gap over Russell is above three seconds by Lap 19. At the start of Lap 21, Antonelli arrives on the back of team mate Russell’s car. After a look through Turns 1 and 2, the young Italian reclaims P2 with a smart move into Turn 4. Verstappen, though, is now some five seconds up the road. Hamilton continues his comeback with a series of moves on Lindblad, Ocon and Lawson, which puts him fifth. Piastri is ninth, unable to make the same kind of progress, with Leclerc now 10th and Norris 11th - Hulkenberg is nudged out of the points in the process. Antonelli’s attempts to leave Russell behind and reel in Verstappen are hampered when he runs wide at the final corner and clips the pit entry bollard. 

"Check the front wing".

He asks over the radio, with Russell now just one second behind, and Verstappen moving eight seconds clear. At the back of the field, Bortoleto is now under investigation for his collision with Sainz, while Albon has also been noted for driving erratically - an incident that will be properly assessed by the stewarding panel post-race. TV coverage then cuts to Hadjar, and a heated radio exchange with his engineer. Informed about Hamilton closing rapidly and being quicker throughout the lap, he shares his frustration and shouts that he is done. Behind, Piastri is up to sixth over Lawson, while Norris holds eighth, as more midfield pit stops take place. Russell is the first of the top three runners to make his planned final stop on Lap 33, with Verstappen and Antonelli following a lap later - all three taking softs. 

"Why have we pulled the trigger so early?"

Russell comments over the radio, after being told he will not be stopping again.

"This tyre feels terrible".

Comes another tyre-related message from the medium-shod Hamilton, who has nonetheless closed up to the rear of Hadjar’s car and is pushing to take P4. Leclerc is up to sixth in the other Ferrari, from Lawson, Piastri, Norris and Lindblad. Fresh from a pit stop, and running soft tyres, Hulkenberg catches the eye with a double pass on Stroll and Ocon into Turn 4. The German is also noted for a potentially unsafe release in the pit lane, though, while team mate Bortoleto takes a 10-second penalty for his clash with Sainz. On Lap 43, the Virtual Safety Car is deployed due to Albon stopping out on track in his Williams, prompting extra pit stops from Verstappen and Hamilton. As he rejoins the action, Verstappen drops to second, behind Antonelli - his 12-second margin is not enough to retain the lead. A lap later, however, Antonelli also pits for fresh tyres, along with team mate Russell, returning P1 to Verstappen. As marshals work to move Albon’s car, a full Safety Car is deployed, prompting stops from Norris, Lawson, Alonso and Hulkenberg.

Disaster strikes for Russell as the field circulates behind the Safety Car - the Briton grinds to a halt just before Turn 1 and drops out of the race. 

"Ahhh".

Russell shouts over the radio, with his outside chance of fighting for the title taking a huge hit. Meanwhile, with the cars ahead bunching up, Norris comes close to slamming into the back of team mate Piastri’s car under braking for the first corner. He takes to the run-off at speed, slides through the gravel and rejoins the queue down in 11th. When the race resumes, Verstappen nails his restart to maintain P1 over Antonelli and Hadjar, with Hamilton and Leclerc hovering in fourth and fifth, and Piastri surviving an attack from Lawson to keep hold of sixth. Alonso and Hulkenberg are eighth and ninth, with Norris passing Lindblad to get back into the points. A lap later, Hamilton sends the crowd wild by passing Hadjar into Turn 1 for third, capping off an impressive rise from the back of the grid. Leclerc follows suit at the start of the next tour, turning an initially dire race for Ferrari into something much more positive. Verstappen controls the final few kilometres to take the chequered flag a couple of seconds up on Antonelli, with Hamilton, Leclerc and Hadjar also maintaining formation, Piastri taking sixth, Lawson seventh and Alonso eighth. Hulkenberg drops out of the points late on and winds up 11th, behind Norris and Lindblad, while Stroll takes 12th in his Aston Martin, Colapinto places 13th and the Haas cars of Bearman and Ocon take 14th and 15th - the latter starting the race so well but losing out as various strategies and Safety Cars play out. Gasly is 16th in the second of the Alpine cars, from Sainz, the penalised Bortoleto and Perez as the final finisher. 

Russell, Albon and Bottas are the three drivers who fail to finish - the former’s being particularly tough to take. Russell has trimmed Antonelli’s lead to 66 points after victory in Azerbaijan, but his DNF and Antonelli’s second-place finish mean that is back up to 84 points heading into the final seven rounds of the season. Max Verstappen was left feeling incredibly proud of his Red Bull team after claiming his and the squad’s maiden victory of the season at a dramatic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the win also making history as the first for Red Bull Ford Powertrains. While Verstappen had looked in commanding form when he sealed pole position during Saturday’s Qualifying, the Dutchman had to contend with various events in Sunday’s race, which was delayed in getting underway due to heavy rain. With several drivers struggling to maintain speed and falling out of position during the initial formation lap, this led to a suspended start procedure - and when the Grand Prix did eventually begin in mixed conditions, Verstappen was overtaken by the Mercedes pair of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The Red Bull driver ultimately made his way back into the lead, however, and maintained control across a late-race Virtual Safety Car and full Safety Car phase to secure his and the team’s debut win of 2026. Asked after the race if his 72nd victory had been his sweetest, Verstappen smile: 

"It’s a really nice one, after the year that we’ve had and the progression that we’ve made. I’m incredibly proud of everyone, and it’s just super nice to win here".

The 29-year-old went on to discuss the challenges that he experienced en route to the chequered flag. 

"It was very hectic with a lot of different things in the start. No power, so you have to wait for the power to kick in. But then we made the right call with the intermediate [tyres], and after that, step by step, we moved our way forward. From there onwards we could do our own race until the end again, of course with the Safety Car, but we kept it all under control".

Verstappen also took a moment to reflect on the achievement of scoring Red Bull Powertrains’ maiden win in only their first year as a power unit supplier.

"It's incredible. I think already, of course, we started, and also to win our first race in our first year with our own power unit is pretty impressive".

George Russell was left to rue another retirement from what had looked like being a podium result at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the Briton admitting that his run of bad luck during 2026 has felt relentless. After running consistently in the top three for much of the eventful encounter - which featured a delayed start due to rain, followed by a suspended start procedure and changing weather conditions - Russell was still on course for P3 amid a late-race Safety Car phase. However, there was heartbreak for the Mercedes driver when he was forced to pull to the side of the track during that Safety Car period, with the Silver Arrows going on to confirm that this was due to a suspected power unit issue.

"It's just a bit of a shame. Another failure, when we were on course for a pretty certain podium. It's a tough one to take. It's unfortunately happened too many times this season, and, yeah, this is just where we are".

As team mate Kimi Antonelli crossed the line in second place behind race winner Max Verstappen, Russell’s non-score means that the Italian now leads the championship by an even larger margin of 84 points. The DNF also marks Russell’s third non-finish of the campaign. Pushed on whether he feels that his prospects for the championship are now over, Russell responds:

"Yeah, yeah, I'd say so. I definitely needed things to… [for] everything to be going my way if I wanted to fight back and, of course, this weekend it hasn't. Never say never but, yeah, it's just pretty relentless this season with the amount of things that have gone away from us, that have been outside of our control".

Lewis Hamilton says his podium finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was bittersweet after completing a comeback drive to P3 having at one stage been a minute behind the leaders. The race in Sepang was initially delayed due to thunderstorms in the area, and the first race start procedure then got suspended as several drivers, including Hamilton, struggled to maintain speed on the initial formation lap. When the race eventually got under way in mixed conditions, the Briton - who was second on the grid after a strong performance in Qualifying - dropped 15 places having opted to fit his Ferrari with slick soft tyres instead of intermediates. With the track not drying up as quickly as hoped, Hamilton dropped to P17 to run a minute behind the leading cars on the first lap - prompting the Scuderia to suggest a switch. However, the seven-time World Champion made the call from the cockpit to gamble and stay on the softs instead - a decision that ultimately saw him roar through the field to cross the line third behind Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli. Asked how he felt after the race, Hamilton wasn’t sure. 

"I think it’s bittersweet. We had an opportunity and ultimately didn’t maximise it. I had a tough time at the beginning, but after the race got going and I managed to keep it on track - which, I’m telling you, was so, so hard. I didn’t think that I’d be able to get back to third place, so I’m very, very grateful for that and very happy with it. Obviously we had the wrong call in the beginning, which was so difficult and I could see everyone just pulling away. I could see on the screen it was a minute down, and I thought that was kind of race over for us. But I just kept my head down, the guys did a great job with the pit stops - obviously lots of tyre changes and lots of chasing".

Although Hamilton felt like it was a missed opportunity, he is looking more comfortable in his Ferrari than in recent races. He told media it was one of his better weekends in red: 

"I think we did a really good job yesterday. The engineers did a great job, the mechanics did a great job with changing and fixing the car, getting the car where it needed to be. And then I think the car felt good in the race. We often talk about execution, I think Saturday we executed really well, and I think we’ll go back to the drawing board and look and see how we could have done better today, and we’ll try and take this performance onto next week".

Kimi Antonelli sits 84 points clear at the top of the Drivers' Championship following his P2 finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia - with team mate and rival George Russell retiring towards the end - but insists the Mercedes team still have work to do. The Italian started from third on the grid in Sunday's race in Sepang, and chose intermediate tyres for the mixed conditions at lights out - which proved to be the right choice as he overtook polesitter Max Verstappen on the run down to Turn 1. Antonelli then lost ground to the Dutch driver after the first Safety Car, brought out by Valtteri Bottas beaching his car in the gravel, but managed to see off a challenge by Russell to stay second. Running in P2, he was already set to extend his lead in the championship by three points when his team mate had his race cut short on Lap 50 with a suspected power unit failure behind another Safety Car - dealing a blow to the Briton’s already slim title chances. The 20-year-old said afterwards that Mercedes still had a lot of work to do as the team had been struggling, but added he was satisfied with finishing second to Verstappen.

"I think today was the maximum we could have done. Massive congrats to Max and Red Bull for the incredible weekend. And on our side, a lot of work to do - we've been struggling a bit more than usual, but still really happy to come away with P2".

Speaking to the media post-race, Antonelli add: 

"I’m really happy with P2. It’s a result we deserved because we’ve been... Well, to be fair, after the start I thought we could have had a chance to win today. But then after the restart, you know, Max overtook me, also George overtook me. Then I was able to regain P2, and then from that point on I was there in P2 the whole time. So yeah, that was what we deserved today".

When asked about Russell's DNF, Antonelli said it was a disappointing result for his team mate and Mercedes overall.

"It’s obviously a big shame for him and the team as well, because it would have been a good result for the team. But unfortunately we’ve been suffering from this reliability this year. I’m sure the team is doing its best to understand where the issue is coming from and make sure it doesn’t happen again".

It was Russell’s second mechanical DNF of the season after also failing to finish in Canada, whilst Antonelli had to retire from the Grand Prix in Barcelona with a power unit problem. Despite his lead at the top of the drivers' standings, Antonelli says he’s taking nothing for granted and the issues they’ve had with reliability impact the way he goes into each race weekend:

"Reliability is why it’s really important that whenever I go on track, especially with things in my control, I need to make sure that I do my best".

Toto Wolff admitted that he was not in a happy place after George Russell suffered a late retirement from the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia due to a power unit issue, with the Mercedes boss stating that the race had been one of my worst experiences. After bringing upgrades to Sepang, the Silver Arrows were hopeful for their prospects. However, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen outpaced them to secure pole position before converting this into his first win of the season. Kimi Antonelli managed to hold onto second place in what proved to be an eventful afternoon with changing weather conditions, but Russell’s day ended in disaster when he was forced to pull off to the side of the track just a few laps from the finish. With it marking the Briton’s third retirement of the season - and the team’s fourth, Antonelli having suffered a mechanical failure in Barcelona - Wolff was left feeling frustrated by how the team’s race had panned out.

"It's a PU failure. It wasn't caused by the Safety Car, so we haven't assessed it yet. I'm so massively annoyed and not in a happy place. First of all, we didn't have the speed that we were hoping to have before the weekend, so there's a lot of homework to be done in order to recover, which I'm sure we will. Then the race literally, if you consider the fight with Lewis behind, went against us. We had such an advantage, but then two VSCs or one VSC, two Safety Cars… you couldn't be more unlucky. To make things worse, a PU failure with a few laps to go to the end with George, which is terrible for his championship and not good at all for our constructor points. So as much as I love to be here, when I look at the pure race, it's one of my worst experiences, to be honest".

While Wolff took heart from Antonelli’s result, the Austrian remained unhappy about the potential impact that further retirements could have for Mercedes.

"Kimi scored a few more points than Lewis behind him. I'm happy because he did the job. But it's just this overarching topic, the DNFs, that could cost us dearly also for the remaining seven races. A championship is quickly turned around against you, if you have a DNF, and that's why that can't continue".

Despite this, Wolff admitted that he is taking positives from his belief in the team’s ability to turn things around.

"I think we have a good action plan. James is really fully on top of it with his leadership team. That lifts my mood, because I know we have such a tremendous group of people, and the same way as with HPP [High Performance Powertrains], they're going to sort it out. But that gives me real relief for the moment to know they are the best, and they are going to find a solution, and I think that we will come back strong".

Charles Leclerc conceded everything that could have gone wrong...did go wrong after dropping to last in the early stages of his race in Sepang, before he recovered to finish fourth. Like his team mate Lewis Hamilton, the Monegasque managed to make his way back through the field to finish solidly in the points for Ferrari, despite a chaotic race that included contact, a strategy error and even a puncture. Ferrari initially made the wrong call when the race finally got underway in wet-dry conditions, opting to put both drivers on the soft compound tyre. The track was still too wet, and as both fell back down the order, overtaken by those fitted with intermediates, Leclerc was called in to pit. That was not just to get rid of his slicks - contact with Nico Hulkenberg had left him with a puncture and front wing damage. A slow pit stop to change his front wing and swap to the intermediates saw the Monegasque driver emerge in last position.

"I’m not sure how much more we could have done in terms of position with a completely smooth race to be honest. Everything that could have gone wrong in the first half of the race did go wrong, everything that could have gone right though in the second part of the race went right for us. At the end of the day, I think P4 on my side was the best I could do. I didn’t have a good feeling with the car, had quite a lot of inconsistencies and just struggled to use the maximum potential of the car and then obviously the first part of the race was very, very tricky with the slick tyres first, and then with the puncture and the broken front wing. And then just trying to save what we could save, and P4 at the end of the day is a good result considering the first part of the race".

Hamilton dropped to 17th after starting on the softs, but managed to score an unlikely podium, meaning Ferrari extended their advantage over McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, and marginally closed the gap to Mercedes. The twin recovery drives showed the Ferrari had decent race pace in the mixed conditions, although the strategy calls made the Grand Prix more difficult than it could have been. However, at a weekend where there was plenty of off-track noise regarding the future of Team Principal Fred Vasseur to filter out, Leclerc was proud of his result - but admitted the team need to learn from their mistakes.

"Relatively happy that we have done I think the best we could do at a weekend like this. But if we look back at the race, I think it is one of those races where the end result is maybe the maximum we could have done. But as a team there are plenty of things we need to learn from and do better next time we find ourselves in these conditions. But anyway, I’m happy we have a good race here and hopefully that stops a little bit the silly rumours that there are on the team. Fred is doing absolutely everything in order to bring back the team to the top, and we are all doing that, and to see all of these headlines in the last few days haven’t been nice at all. We are very united, that is the most important and I just hope we are back on the top step of the podium as soon as possible".

Lando Norris has explained what caused his dramatic run off track behind the Safety Car during the latter stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the incident dropping the Briton backwards en route to a final result of P9. After the race start was initially delayed due to heavy rain - before a suspended start procedure followed - Norris was amongst those to bolt on the medium tyres for when the encounter eventually got underway. Those on slicks found themselves struggling in the mixed conditions, however, dropping the World Champion backwards from his original grid slot of P5. An early Safety Car phase - following a stoppage for Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas - offered an opportunity to pit, which both Norris and team mate Oscar Piastri (who had swapped the medium tyres for intermediates at the end of the first lap) took advantage of. There was further drama to come in the latter stages when, during another Safety Car period, Mercedes’ George Russell pulled to the side of the track on the main straight to retire his car, leading to those behind him bunching together. This seemingly caught out Norris, who ran off track into the gravel after taking avoiding action around those ahead, dropping him back to P11. The British driver ultimately fought his way back to ninth when the race resumed, while Piastri ended the day in his original starting position of sixth. Speaking to the media after the race, Norris conceded that the decision to start on the medium tyre had been the wrong one.

"There was enough of us that tried it, that obviously looked more convincing than it was, I guess, from the outside and from our laps to grid. But I think the laps to grid and the inter tyre was a bit deceiving in terms of how much grip there was. I think a bit of it is also the fact we've never driven on the inter before and pushed on it, so it was hard for us to understand if it was like genuine, if the tyres were amazing or not. That also led to our decision, but in the end we got it wrong and I probably should have boxed at the end of the first lap, but we wanted to take the gamble".

Norris went on to detail what led to his off-track excursion in the latter stages, with the 26-year-old subsequently summoned by the stewards for:

"Driving erratically under Safety Car conditions, leaving the track and re-joining unsafely and/or overtaking another car behind the Safety Car".

In the end the Briton was issued with a reprimand.

"I swore a lot. It's just I couldn't see from the angle and, from where I was, how much everyone had stopped because of George on the inside. So by the time I kind of looked at George and looked back, I could see them. But it's hard when you're directly behind to see if they're going 100, 200, or 10, and they were going 10, so I just got completely caught out. I guess it's my fault at the end of the day, so I was just unlucky with it. Everyone just checked up so much and I just got screwed over by it, that's all".