Key Highlights:
- Charles Leclerc posted the fastest lap in second practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, clocking a 1m37.528s in his Ferrari SF-26.
- Isack Hadjar took second place, missing out by 0.099s, while McLaren’s Lando Norris bounced back from a tough opening session to secure third.
- A looming 90% threat of rain triggered an uncharacteristically early switch to soft tyres, though the weather stayed completely dry throughout the 60-minute session.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the benchmark pace during second practice for the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix hosted at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Under the imminent threat of rain that rose to a 90% forecast, Leclerc navigated his SF-26 to a session-best lap of 1m37.528s, edging out Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar by a narrow 0.099 seconds, with McLaren driver Lando Norris finishing close behind in third position.
With Sepang returning to the Formula 1 schedule for the first time since 2017 on behalf of Bahrain, teams arrived at the circuit lacking modern performance data. The notorious Malaysian climate played an immediate strategic role; initial weather predictions showed a 70% chance of showers before climbing to 90%. Eager to avoid an untimely downpour, all 22 cars scrambled onto the circuit right away, creating an unusually frenzied opening phase.
Early Medium Runs and the Dash for Soft Tyres
The field initially prioritized the medium compound tyre. Max Verstappen, who set the pace in Free Practice 1, quickly stamped his authority on the session with a 1m37.785s marker. That effort put the Red Bull driver 0.235s clear of Mercedes’ George Russell, mirroring the order from the morning session. Leclerc slotted into third early on, 0.254s back, running narrowly ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. Meanwhile, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly showcased early speed on the soft rubber, holding sixth.
Normally, teams hold off on low-fuel performance qualifying simulations until the final quarter of practice. However, the radar readings forced an abrupt departure from convention. Just 20 minutes in, drivers began bolting on the soft compound tyres to ensure at least one representative dry lap. Leclerc maximized his new tyres immediately, jumping to the top of the timesheets with his 1m37.528s effort. Norris, who adjusted the setup on his McLaren to match teammate Oscar Piastri following a 12th-place result in FP1, slotted into second, 0.137s behind the Monegasque driver.
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Mercedes was unable to capitalize on its soft-tyre runs, as mistakes in the final sector compromised push laps for both Russell and Antonelli. Verstappen chose to remain on medium tyres rather than switching to the red-walled rubber. In contrast, Hadjar extracted maximum pace on fresh softs, posting a 1m37.627s to split Leclerc and Norris for second overall.
Midfield Battles, Race Sims, and a Late Virtual Safety Car
Once the initial qualifying simulations concluded, lap times froze across the timing screens for the remainder of the hour as teams transitioned directly into high-fuel race simulations. Despite the stationary order at the front, on-track drama ensued. Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto engaged in an intense multi-corner, wheel-to-wheel scrap spanning all three sectors. The duel saw Bortoleto briefly dive down the inside of Turn 1 in his Audi R26 before Lawson reclaimed track position on the subsequent tour.
The session came to a quiet competitive halt when Bortoleto’s Audi came to a standstill in the middle sector during the closing minutes. The stoppage brought out a Virtual Safety Car, preventing any driver from making an eleventh-hour bid to improve their lap time.
As a result, the top three remained intact, with Verstappen maintaining fourth position (+0.257s) despite his lack of a soft-tyre flyer. Hamilton settled in fifth with a 1m37.833s. Piastri recovered from an 11th-place finish in FP1 to take sixth, 0.371s adrift of Leclerc. Russell and Antonelli ended seventh and eighth, respectively, while Lawson in ninth and Gasly in tenth rounded out the top half of the field.
Why This Matters
Sepang’s return to the F1 calendar on behalf of Bahrain provides an unfamiliar baseline for current ground-effect machinery, as the series had not raced at the venue since 2017. The scramble in FP2 shows how critical every dry minute is for team engineers trying to establish aerodynamic setups, tyre degradation curves, and cooling thresholds in high humidity. With Mercedes stumbling during qualifying simulations and Red Bull dividing tyre programs between Verstappen and Hadjar, Ferrari’s single-lap pace suggests the Scuderia could be an early favorite for pole position if the rain holds off on Saturday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Formula 1 racing in Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix?
The Sepang International Circuit returned to the Formula 1 calendar for the first time since 2017, staging the event on behalf of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Why did teams run qualifying simulations so early in FP2?
Due to weather forecasts showing a 90% chance of rain, teams abandoned traditional run plans and bolted on soft tyres just 20 minutes into the session to log representative qualifying lap data before track conditions changed.
Who set the fastest lap of Free Practice 2?
Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap for Ferrari with a time of 1m37.528s, leading Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
