Verstappen fastest as F1 returns to Sepang for Bahrain GP in Malaysia

Max Verstappen laid down the first marker at Sepang.

He topped first practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 0.383 seconds from George Russell, who had won in Azerbaijan the week before. Isack Hadjar was third, 0.783 seconds off the pace, according to timing reported by the BBC.

Formula 1 has not raced at Sepang for nine years. The circuit is back as a stand-in venue, more than 6,000km from Bahrain, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races were cancelled at the start of the year because of the war in the Middle East. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa negotiated the deal to bring the Bahrain race to Malaysia.

It will still feel like Bahrain on the podium. The Bahrain Grand Prix trophy will be presented, although rosewater rather than champagne will be sprayed.

The order at the front was a reversal from seven days earlier. In Baku, Russell had led Verstappen in opening practice by 0.400 seconds before going on to win the race. At Sepang, Verstappen answered in the first hour of running.

Mercedes arrived with something to prove. The team brought its first major upgrade since the Canadian Grand Prix, with a new floor, the underbody that helps pull the car to the track through airflow, and revised rear bodywork. McLaren kept a low profile, with Oscar Piastri 11th and Lando Norris 12th. Pierre Gasly was seventh, ahead of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad.

Tyres were the talking point. Drivers reported high tyre degradation, meaning grip fell away quickly over longer runs, on Sepang's abrasive surface. Rough asphalt eats rubber. That can shape strategy and push teams toward extra pit stops.

There was already bad news on penalties. Lindblad will start the race from the back of the grid for using too many engine parts, which brings an automatic drop to last place. Hadjar faces an expected five-place grid penalty for the same reason.

Verstappen knows this track. He won at Sepang in 2017, the day after his 20th birthday, a result noted in pre-race statistics from Reuters.

Running started at 12:30 local time on Friday, 2 October, with a second practice later on Friday before final practice and qualifying on Saturday, 3 October, as listed by Formula 1.

For fans, this means a familiar story with a twist. The headline time belongs to Verstappen, the updates belong to Mercedes, and the long-run pace is still hidden. Friday sets the questions. Saturday starts to answer them.