2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia FP3: Antonelli finds his pace at Sepang

Kimi Antonelli gave Mercedes a timely lift before qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, topping final practice with a 1m 36.302s lap. Max Verstappen finished 0.278s behind, while his Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar took third, roughly half a second off the pace. It was the first time Antonelli had led a session this weekend, after Mercedes called Friday one of its toughest days of the season.

The final hour of preparation for qualifying in the 2026 F1 World Championship began quietly at 12:30 local time. Sergio Perez was the first driver onto the circuit in his Cadillac; he is one of 10 current drivers who were on the grid when Formula 1 last raced at Sepang in 2017. More cars gradually joined him in another hot, humid session, many starting on soft tyres.

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Charles Leclerc took a different route, using the hard compound to establish an early 1m 37.772s benchmark. McLaren sent both cars out on mediums. Lando Norris quickly went six tenths faster than Leclerc, with Oscar Piastri slotting into second, three tenths behind his team-mate. It was an early indication of pace, though the teams were running different tyres.

2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia FP3 Results

2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia FP3, 3 October 2026

A red flag interrupted the session shortly before halfway when a small piece of debris came off Ollie Bearman’s Haas and landed on the track. Mercedes had yet to send either driver out at that point, and Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were also still waiting to make their first appearances. When the circuit reopened, a queue formed at the pit exit as the delayed runners joined the action.

Both Red Bulls, like the McLarens, chose mediums. Antonelli was among those on softs and immediately moved to the top with a 1m 36.924s lap. Verstappen set the fastest first sector on one attempt but ended up fourth after apparently meeting traffic later in the lap. With so many cars trying to complete runs in a compressed window, clear track became difficult to find. Hamilton showed his frustration with a wave after catching the slower Racing Bulls car of Arvid Lindblad.

With 15 minutes remaining, Norris and Piastri switched to soft tyres. Neither gained a position: Norris stayed third at that stage and Piastri fifth. Aston Martin also found time, with Fernando Alonso climbing to 11th and Lance Stroll to 14th as the order continued to change.

Most drivers returned to the circuit for a final push. Leclerc briefly split the Mercedes drivers in second, but the timing screen soon shifted again. Antonelli improved to 1m 36.302s, Verstappen moved into second and Hadjar made it two Red Bulls in the top three. Antonelli’s lap survived the closing minutes to give the championship leader a much stronger end to practice than Mercedes’ Friday form had suggested.

George Russell finished fourth, around six tenths slower than his team-mate. Leclerc and Hamilton were fifth and sixth for Ferrari, ahead of Norris and Piastri in seventh and eighth. Franco Colapinto took ninth for Alpine, with Lindblad completing the top 10.

Gabriel Bortoleto was 11th for Audi, followed by Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg. Bearman ended the session 17th, ahead of Carlos Sainz, Stroll, Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas and Perez.