Verstappen leads Russell in Bahrain FP1 in Malaysia

Max Verstappen topped the first practice session of the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit, posting a fastest lap of 1m37.520s on soft tires to beat George Russell by 0.383 seconds. It was F1's first session at the circuit in nine years, with drivers facing a dusty, high-abrasion track and extreme heat reaching 135°F. Isack Hadjar finished third, 0.783s off the pace, while Russell — coming off a victory in Baku — showed strong pace in the middle sector but suffered unexpected tire degradation on his medium-tire run.