The main beneficiary is championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who moves up from fourth to third on the grid. Charles Leclerc starts fourth, followed by the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. George Russell, meanwhile, endured a disappointing qualifying session: the Baku winner was only eighth fastest and moves up to seventh following Hadjar’s penalty.
Antonelli puts Mercedes back in contention in final practice
After the opening two practice sessions, the competitive picture remained difficult to read. Verstappen had set the pace on Friday morning, while Leclerc topped the second session. Adding to the uncertainty were the unusual conditions on a circuit Formula 1 had last visited in 2017.
Mercedes hit back in the third practice session. Antonelli set the fastest time with a 1:36.302, finishing 0.278 seconds ahead of Verstappen. Hadjar confirmed Red Bull’s strong form in third, while Russell was already more than six tenths adrift in fourth.
The heat and abrasive asphalt remained crucial factors. The tyres overheated quickly, meaning even small mistakes on turn-in or traction zones immediately cost lap time. Finding the right compromise is especially difficult around the 5.543-kilometre Sepang International Circuit: the high-speed corners demand plenty of downforce, while the long straights punish excessive drag.
Verstappen takes control from the start
Qualifying quickly showed that Verstappen’s practice pace was no coincidence. The Dutchman set the fastest time in the opening segment with a 1:36.477 and immediately established himself as the benchmark.
Ferrari initially opted for a different approach, sending Hamilton and Leclerc out on the medium tyres while most of the field used softs. Both still progressed comfortably.
Several drivers, however, were eliminated early. Nico Hülkenberg locked up at Turn 14 and narrowly missed out on the second part of qualifying in 17th. Behind him came Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon and the two Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Aston Martin, by contrast, enjoyed a small breakthrough. For the first time this season, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both reached the second qualifying segment.
Antonelli forced to respond after deleted lap
Verstappen remained the fastest driver in the next phase and improved to a 1:35.696. Behind him, the margins tightened considerably.
Antonelli came under pressure when his first flying lap was deleted for exceeding track limits. The Italian therefore had to use an additional set of soft tyres to make sure of progressing. A 1:35.959 ultimately put him second fastest.
That extra tyre usage would matter in the final segment. While his main rivals had two attempts on fresh softs available, Antonelli was left with only one new set.
Liam Lawson missed out on the top ten in 11th. Alonso, Carlos Sainz and Stroll followed behind. Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad did not complete representative flying laps and instead provided a tow for their team-mates. Both were already set to start from the final row because of engine penalties.
Hamilton snatches a place on the front row
Verstappen immediately laid down a marker in the final segment. His first lap of 1:35.250 would already have been enough for pole, but he improved again on his final attempt to a 1:35.130.
Hamilton also produced an excellent final lap. Ferrari had made several setup changes after a difficult run through practice and found a much stronger balance for qualifying. The seven-time world champion climbed to second with a 1:35.428, pushing Hadjar off the front row.
Verstappen later described the result as particularly significant after Red Bull had fallen below expectations at the start of the season. In Baku, the Dutchman had already pushed Russell all the way to the line, and now he has followed that performance with his first pole position of the year. Friday’s long runs also suggested that Red Bull’s pace extends beyond a single qualifying lap.
Hadjar underlined the team’s progress with third place, although his five-place penalty for a new internal combustion engine costs him an excellent starting position.
Mercedes and McLaren fall short of expectations
Antonelli had to settle for fourth on his only meaningful Q3 attempt, although Hadjar’s penalty promotes him to third on the grid. Leclerc finished just 0.035 seconds behind the championship leader in fifth and also gains one position.
McLaren, meanwhile, were slightly below expectations. Only five thousandths separated Norris and Piastri, but sixth and seventh were the best they could manage. The McLaren appeared to lack straight-line speed in particular.
Russell had an even more disappointing session. After winning in Baku and finishing second in the opening practice session, the Mercedes driver could do no better than eighth. He therefore starts seventh and will be wary of Antonelli extending his already substantial 66-point lead in the championship.
The race nevertheless remains difficult to predict. High tyre degradation could lead to multiple pit stops, while Sepang’s long straights offer several overtaking opportunities. Verstappen starts from pole for the first time this season, Hamilton lines up alongside him and Antonelli will be waiting directly behind. The Grand Prix begins on Sunday at 9:00 CET.
Starting grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
P1 – Max Verstappen – Red Bull
P2 – Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari
P3 – Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes
P4 – Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
P5 – Lando Norris – McLaren
P6 – Oscar Piastri – McLaren
P7 – George Russell – Mercedes
P8 – Isack Hadjar – Red Bull
P9 – Pierre Gasly – Alpine
P10 – Gabriel Bortoleto – Audi
P11 – Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls
P12 – Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
P13 – Carlos Sainz – Williams
P14 – Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
P15 – Nico Hülkenberg – Audi
P16 – Oliver Bearman – Haas
P17 – Esteban Ocon – Haas
P18 – Alexander Albon – Williams
P19 – Valtteri Bottas – Cadillac
P20 – Sergio Perez – Cadillac
P21 – Franco Colapinto – Alpine
P22 – Arvid Lindblad – Racing Bulls
