Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Charles Leclerc tops second practice but Red Bull and Max Verstappen impress on Friday

Leclerc was 0.099s quicker than Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, with McLaren's Lando Norris only 0.137s behind in a tight session which suggests four teams will have a shot at pole come qualifying on Saturday at 9am, live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event .

Max Verstappen was fourth but only 0.257s slower on the mediums, unusually deciding to not do a qualifying simulation on the softs.

Given Verstappen topped first practice and generally is quicker than Hadjar, he likely had the pace to also top second practice but chose to focus on long-run pace as tyre degradation was a major issue around the hot, high-speed Sepang International Circuit.

Red Bull's race simulations were also strong on Friday so Verstappen could have a big chance at a first pole position of 2026 and, with it, a first win of the season.

"I think we had a decent start. The track is tricky, it's really hot, a lot of degradation and so a lot of things to figure out. But it has been positive," said Verstappen, who won the last F1 race in Malaysia in 2017.

Lewis Hamilton was three tenths slower than his team-mate in fifth, ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Hamilton was investigated for blocking Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto when he veered across onto the racing line on a slow lap down to Turn Nine. Stewards issued the Hamilton with a warning and imposed a €10,000 (£8,503) fine on the team for not telling the Briton - whose car had a damaged mirror - over the radio that the Audi, on an out lap, was fast closing behind him.

Meanwhile Mercedes had one of their most difficult Fridays this year, despite introducing their biggest upgrade package to the car since May's Canadian Grand Prix.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli set their best lap times on the mediums after both had scruffy laps on the softs, but were not lighting up the sectors with quick times before their mistakes in the last sector.

Antonelli ran wide at the penultimate corner while Russell went deep at the final corner and was forced to take to the pit lane.

It was thought Mercedes would dominate this weekend with their upgrades, which include a new floor, rear suspension and rear corner but Red Bull appear to be the team to beat.

"With these conditions, tyre deg is huge for everybody and the cars are operating in a very different window," said Russell, who is 66 points behind Antonelli in the Drivers' Championship.

"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. We're a bit off the pace."

Elsewhere, it was confirmed on Friday that Hadjar has received a five-grid place penalty for a new internal combustion engine, Alpine's Franco Colapinto has a 10-grid place penalty for a new engine, on top of his five-grid place penalty for causing a collision last time out in Baku, and Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad will start at the back for a complete power unit change.

Saturday October 3 5.15am: Bahrain GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30am)* 8am: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up* 9am: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING*

Sunday October 4 6.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Bahrain GP build-up* 8am: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX* 10am: Chequered Flag: Bahrain GP reaction*

Formula 1 is in Malaysia for the first time since 2017 as it hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit - watch Sunday's race at 8am (build-up from 6.30am), live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime