Summary

  • Leclerc fastest in second practice

  • Verstappen quickest in first practice

  • Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place at Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur

  • Race rescheduled from April and moved following Middle East unrest

  • Use the 'watch & listen' tab for BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary

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Live Reporting

  1. Report: Leclerc tops Bahrain GP in Malaysia second practice

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Charles LeclercGetty Images

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace in Friday practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

    Leclerc was 0.099 seconds quicker than Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, with McLaren's Lando Norris third fastest, 0.137secs off the pace.

    But divining a sense of real competitiveness was made even more difficult than usual because of the varying strategies teams deployed through practice.

    Neither Hadjar nor team-mate Max Verstappen completed a qualifying simulation run on the soft tyre.

    But Verstappen, who was fourth fastest overall behind McLaren's Lando Norris, looked potentially the fastest driver through practice until the single laps took place in the second session.

    Read the full report here

  2. FP3 and qualifying from 05:15 BST on Saturday

    The thundery showers stayed away, and Gabriel Bortoleto's late issue was the only stoppage of the opening day in Sepang, so I think Friday can marked down as a good day for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

    Red Bull were quickest in the first session with Max Verstappen topping the timesheets but it was Ferrari who had the edge in the next hour through Charles Leclerc. This one might be hard to predict for pole position tomorrow.

    And then there are worries about tyre degradation on this sand-paper like track. Lots of drivers are tackling this Malaysian circuit for the very first time, so Saturday's final practice is much-needed to get in those last-minute adjustments.

    It's another early one tomorrow, so join us again at 05:15 BST. Qualifying gets under way at 09:00.

    See you soon!

  3. And the rest

    11. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

    12. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

    13. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

    14. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

    15. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

    16. Oliver Bearman (Haas)

    17. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

    18. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

    19. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)

    20. Alex Albon (Williams)

    21. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)

    22. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

  4. Top 10

    1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:37.528

    2. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +0.099

    3. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.137

    4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.257

    5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.305

    6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.371

    7. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.492

    8. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.532

    9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.968

    10 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.060

  5. chequered flag

    Chequered flag

    A late bit of drama heading into the pits as Sergio Perez slows down in front of Lando Norris, catching the world champion out. The McLaren driver does well to avoid any contact with the Cadillac.

    Charles Leclerc ends second practice on top, beating Red Bull's Isack Hadjar and Norris with a time of 1:37.528 on the soft tyre.

  6. Virtual safety car

    Gabriel Bortoleto's engineer sounds slightly concered when the Brazilian asked what happened, replying the stoppage was "not a normal one".

    Bortoleto is safely out of the car and heading back to the base. And that should be it for practice in Malaysia.

  7. yellow flag

    Bortoleto stops

    Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto has come to a stop on track. The yellow flag is waved, followed by a virtual safety car so the Brazilian’s car can be rescued.

    Gabriel Bortoletoget

  8. Fernando Alonso in the other Aston Martin is fighting with his car at Turn One, locking up at the beginning of the lap. The Spaniard confirmed this week he's not going anywhere and his sticking with the team for at least another year, taking him to 46 years old as a Formula 1 driver.

    Fellow multiple title winner Max Verstappen, meanwhile, is continuing to collect information on the C3 medium compound.

  9. Charles Leclerc is leading the timesheets from Isack Hadjar by 0.099 seconds with 11 minutes of the session remaining. Forget any hopes of a thundery showers - this hour will finish dry.

    Lance Stroll is drifting around the Sepang track in the Aston Martin. The Canadian has flat-spotted his soft tyres in the process, so he comes into the pits to fix a set of mediums on for the rest of his running.

    Charles LeclercGetty Images

  10. Get Involved - your memories of Sepang

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Lewis Hamilton retires from 2016 Malaysian GPGetty Images

    Dan Booth: Multi 21 [when Sebastian Vettel disobeyed Red Bull team orders] springs to mind, but I also used to absolutely love this track on F1 video games, it had an excellent flow and it was always obvious where you could gain speed (and places) in the heavy braking zones.

    Nathan: I was there with my Dad for the 2017 grand prix, the fans, the colors, the hospitality was incredible. Thrilled to see the circuit back! Forza Ferrari!

    Ket: We did the Sepang and Suzuka double header in 2016 and watched Hamilton's engine fail right in front of us! Felt like a big swing in the title race against Rosberg in that moment.

  11. This Gabriel Bortoleto-Arvid Lindblad scrap is still ongoing, and the Brazilian has yet to find the perfect place to pass the young rookie. All this data will be vital for teams when it comes to Sunday's race and where best to deploy energy. The Racing Bulls has decent pace, though.

  12. Audi are getting Gabriel Bortoleto to gather some information on the medium tyre, but the Brazilian is behind rookie Arvid Lindblad and trying to find a way through. The camera is enjoying this little Friday fight, but Bortoleto twitches slightly and ends up over the kerb. "Check my floor. Bottomed out," he tells his pit wall.

  13. Top five

    1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:37.528

    2. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +0.099

    3. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.137

    4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.257 (medium tyre)

    5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.305

  14. The incident between Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton is going to be investigated after the session.

    Isack Hadjar has bumped Lando Norris for the P2 seat on the timesheets. The Red Bull man is 0.099 seconds away from Charles Leclerc's best marker on the same soft tyre.

  15. Leclerc to the top

    Oscar Piastri's time has been beaten and now the McLaren driver sits fifth on the timesheets.

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc steps up and puts his Ferrari quickest, clocking a time of 1:37.528 to lead world champion Lando Norris by 0.137 seconds. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, is sticking with medium run plan.

    Gabriel Bortoleto and Lewis Hamilton have got in each other's way on track. The Brazilian Audi driver is annoyed with the Ferrari on the racing line, while Hamilton comes on the radio to say he "can't see through" his right mirror.

  16. Piastri goes P2

    The risk of showers is easing up now, so this could be a completely dry Friday for Malaysia's return.

    Oscar Piastri was so close to a podium finish last weekend in Azerbaijan but a lock-up at the second safety car restart sent him into the run-off and tumbling down the order. Can the Australian add to his two podiums in Sepang? He's first to complete a proper flying lap on the softs and banks a 1:37.899 which places him second. But other cars have started their fast attempts on the soft tyre...

  17. George Russell has ditched his medium rubber for the soft C4 compound now, joining the likes Charles Leclerc and team-mate Kimi Antonelli. His time on track doesn't last long, though, as he heads back into the pits after just two laps.

  18. Will the upgraded Mercedes bring George Russell his fourth victory of the season this weekend? The Briton has pulled 15 points back on team-mate Kimi Antonelli, but the Italian still holds a 66-point advantage in the drivers' championship

    Russell is on the medium tyre but runs wide at Turn 11 on his latest run. Charles Leclerc also has a moment on his medium-compound lap, locking up at Turn 15 in the Ferrari.

  19. Isack Hadjar is having trouble with his brakes, telling his Red Bull engineer he's bouncing like crazy. The Frenchman returned to the cockpit last weekend in Azerbaijan after missing a few races because of his wrist injury and grabbed a podium finish, but he's not happy in the early stages of this session.

    Team-mate Max Verstappen is also uncomfortable, flagging to the pit wall he's having seat issues.

  20. Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Crown Prince of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa speaks with Fernando AlonsoGetty Images

    F1 has returned to this track, regarded as one of the best layouts among the new generation of circuits that came on stream at the end of the last century and into this one, because of the circumstances around this year's calendar.

    The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races were cancelled at the beginning of the year as a result of the war in the Middle East.

    But Bahrain were keen to hold their race and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa negotiated to hold the race in Malaysia.

    A bunch of Bahraini-related activities are being held at the track, while the trophy presented will be the Bahrain Grand Prix trophy and rosewater rather than champagne will be sprayed on the podium.