05:42
The majority of drivers are out on medium tyres, apart from the Red Bulls, Arvid Lindblad, and Franco Colapinto, who are on soft tyres.
2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
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F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia LIVE: Friday practice updates
Live practice updates from Friday at the 2026 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
KEY MOMENTS
- FP1 at the Bahrain GP begins at 5:30am BST
- Mercedes has an updated car
- First Sepang F1 action since 2017
The 2026 Formula 1 season continues this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, which marks the 16th round of the campaign.
This weekend marks F1's first visit to the Sepang International Circuit since the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017.
However, this will not be officially counted as a Malaysian Grand Prix, as the event is being run and paid for by the Bahrain Grand Prix. As such, the event is being called the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Despite the tropical setting, the Bahrain organisers have flown in around 500 marshals from the country, while much of the branding around the circuit reflects that of the Sakhir track.
The event has been moved to Malaysia this year due to the ongoing war in Iran. The Bahrain Grand Prix had originally been due to run in April back-to-back with Saudi Arabia.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli comes into the Bahrain Grand Prix leading the championship still, though a fifth-place finish after a crash in qualifying last time out at Baku has seen his advantage lowered by Mercedes team-mate George Russell.
Mercedes has an updated car at Sepang, as it looks to rebuild its dominant advantage from earlier in the season.
Ferrari will be out to quieten the noise around the team in the last week surrounding the future of Fred Vasseur, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc publicly backing their team boss on Thursday at Sepang.
Red Bull nearly denied Mercedes victory in Azerbaijan, with Max Verstappen just 0.1s behind Russell at the chequered flag. Verstappen was the last winner at Sepang in F1, while the long straights should suit the Red Bull's Ford power unit.
This weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix has been declared a heat hazard, while air quality could be an issue due to haze in the region right now.
On top of that, F1's 2026 cars could face their first proper wet weather test at Sepang.
2026 Bahrain Grand Prix Friday schedule
FP1 - 5:30am BST - 6:30am BST
FP2 - 9am BST - 10am BST
05:36
The first proper flying laps have been completed, and Max Verstappen finds himself at the top of the timesheets.
05:31
F1 FP1 is underway
The green flags are out, and FP1 for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia begins.
Franco Colapinto is the first driver out on track for his first proper look at the Sepang International Circuit.
05:25
Five minutes until the green flag is waved at the Sepang International Circuit to start Free Practice 1.
05:23
A view of the new Mercedes updates
Mercedes F1 W17
05:17
Currently, it is dry ahead of the opening session of the weekend. However, there could be rain later in the day!
04:59
Last weekend
Last weekend in Azerbaijan, George Russell returned to winning ways, taking his third Grand Prix victory of the season, and his first Grand Prix win since the Austrian Grand Prix.
04:52
F1 back in Malaysia
As a reminder, this is the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, as F1 returns to the Sepang International Circuit for the first time since 2017. The event has had a venue change due to the ongoing war in Iran.
04:38
F1 FP1 to start in an hour
Welcome to live coverage of Friday's F1 practices from Sepang, Malaysia, where FP1 for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia is due to start in under an hour (12:30 local time).