Kimi Antonelli set the pace in Antonelli Sepang practice Saturday, topping final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 0.278 seconds over Max Verstappen, Sky Sports reported. Qualifying is set for 9 a.m. BST at Sepang International Circuit.
The Mercedes driver leads the drivers’ championship by 66 points over teammate George Russell, Formula 1 reported. That is down from an 81-point lead before Russell won in Baku.
Antonelli Sepang practice: the final order
Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar took third, and Russell was fourth. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fifth, about 0.7 seconds off the pace, followed by Lewis Hamilton, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad.
Colapinto carries a combined 15-grid-place penalty for a collision in Baku and a new engine.
A brief stoppage came when debris became lodged on Oliver Bearman’s Haas at Turn 10 and marshals had to retrieve it.
What the pace means for qualifying
Mercedes has won three straight races and brought upgrades to its W17 this weekend, Formula 1 said. Antonelli’s pace suggests the team has adapted quickly to Sepang, which has not hosted F1 since 2017.
Conditions will matter. Sky Sports described the track as very rough, with high temperatures and humidity, so tire management could shape qualifying. More than half the grid is racing at Sepang for the first time.
Why the race is in Malaysia
Formula 1 postponed the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, and Malaysian officials worked with Bahrain’s organizers to stage this year’s event at Sepang. For background on the previous round, see Azerbaijan Grand Prix Saturday.
Qualifying is Saturday at 9 a.m. BST, and the race is Sunday at 8 a.m. BST, Sky Sports said.
