Leclerc fastest in practice as relocated Bahrain Grand Prix opens at Malaysia's Sepang

This weekend's Formula 1 race is branded the Bahrain Grand Prix but is being held at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The Bahrain race was cancelled earlier this year because of the war in the Middle East, the BBC and the Guardian report. Formula 1 last raced at Sepang in 2017. A Bahrain Grand Prix trophy will be presented.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in Friday practice. He was about a tenth of a second ahead of Red Bull's Isack Hadjar; the BBC gives the gap as 0.099 seconds. Red Bull's Max Verstappen was fourth fastest and did not do a qualifying simulation run on soft tyres.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli were seventh and eighth. Mercedes brought a major upgrade to its car at Sepang. Antonelli leads Russell by 66 points in the championship. The track surface is abrasive, and teams are dealing with heat and high tyre degradation.

What is reported

According to the BBC, Verstappen was 0.257 seconds off the fastest time, behind McLaren's Lando Norris. The BBC reports that he skipped the soft-tyre run because rain was forecast and he wanted to prioritise race preparation. In the BBC's assessment, Verstappen looked the car to beat on race simulation runs, with the top four teams closely matched.

The BBC also reports that Hadjar will drop five grid places for exceeding the permitted number of engine parts.

According to the Guardian, the Sepang race is a one-off replacement with Bahraini backing, not a long-term return to Malaysia, and eight rounds of the championship remain.

What each side says

• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): the BBC quoted him as saying: "I felt quite good with the car but I still feel like the Red Bull is standing out this weekend so far."
• George Russell (Mercedes): the BBC quoted him as saying: "Currently, Verstappen looks very fast and the race pace of the McLaren looked very quick but never say never." He sees tyre overheating as a set-up issue, not a problem with the upgrade.
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull): he described his day as a "decent start" and "positive".
• Pierre Wache (Red Bull technical director): the BBC quoted him as saying: "We were not very optimistic starting the weekend."
• Toto Wolff (Mercedes team principal): according to the Guardian, he said Mercedes wants to give both drivers an equal opportunity. The Guardian quoted him as saying: "But the team comes first. That has always been the Mercedes philosophy."

The reports cover only Friday practice and do not include qualifying or race results. They do not include any official statement from Formula 1, the FIA, or the Bahraini or Malaysian organisers on the relocation.

Analysis

Friday times may not reflect the competitive order. Verstappen did not run on soft tyres, Leclerc said track conditions will change before Saturday, and the BBC reports that rain was forecast. For Mercedes, the weekend tests whether its upgrade can be made to work on a hot, abrasive circuit; Russell attributes the difficulties to set-up. Mercedes' stance of letting both drivers race, as described by the Guardian, could draw closer attention if the 66-point gap between Antonelli and Russell changes. Several outcomes remain possible, and the reports reviewed by Vocemundi include no qualifying or race results.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.