06:24
Here come more fastest laps as Isack Hadjar has jumped to the top of the timesheet.
Kimi Antonelli
© XPB Images
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia Qualifying as it happened
Relive all the action from Saturday at the 2026 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
KEY MOMENTS
- Max Verstappen claims first pole of 2026
- Lewis Hamilton joins great F1 rival on front row
- Mercedes struggles despite upgrade
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 reduced to 66 points 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 has attempted 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 ahead of the event at Sepang.
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, with a threat of storms for both Saturday and Sunday.
Max Verstappen was the winner on F1's last visit to Sepang in 2017. The Red Bull driver made an encouraging start to the weekend by setting the pace in opening practice on Friday, before Leclerc rounded out the day quickest for Ferrari.
2026 Bahrain Grand Prix Saturday schedule
FP3 - 5:30am BST - 6:30am BST
Qualifying - 9am BST - 10am BST
06:30
The chequered flag is out
The chequered flag has been waved at the end of the final Free Practice session at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
06:25
Kimi Antonelli back on top
Kimi Antonelli returned straight back to the top of the timesheets with a 1m 36.302, and has a 0.278 second advantage over Max Verstappen, who is now in second.
06:22
Lance Stroll's first proper flying lap moved him into 14th place as he set a 1m 38.811.
06:19
Oscar Piastri has set a personal best, but has stayed in fifth place. Whereas his teammate did not set a better lap time and remains in third.
06:17
Lance Stroll is back out on track after a lengthy period in the pits due to an issue with his Aston Martin.
06:14
The McLaren drivers are both out on a set of brand-new soft tyres ahead of a Qualifying practice run.
06:10
Lewis Hamilton has finally set a competitive lap time and is ninth on the timesheets, but is 1.236 seconds slower than Antonelli.
06:08
Charles Leclerc is still out on track on hard tyres, and has not done a run on soft tyres as of yet, but still finds himself in seventh place.
06:05
Lewis Hamilton was blocked on his first flying lap by Arvid Lindblad.
06:03
Mercedes take over at the top
Kimi Antonelli and George Russell now sit 1st and 2nd on the timesheets, with the Italian setting a 1m 36.924.
06:02
We are halfway through the session, and Lewis Hamilton is now on track, meaning every driver has now exited the pits.
06:00
Both Mercedes drivers and Max Verstappen have exited the pit lane for the first time this session.
05:59
Green flags are out
Free Practice 3 is back underway at the Sepang International Circuit.
05:58
Schedule update
The session will resume at 5:59am BST
05:57
Red Flag
Free Practice 3 has been red-flagged due to debris from Oliver Bearman's Haas that was left on the circuit at Turn 10.
05:55
We have a red flag with 35 minutes on the clock at the Sepang International Circuit.
05:53
No sight of either Mercedes driver yet in Free Practice 3...
05:52
There is a McLaren 1-2 in the opening half an hour of this session, with Lando Norris at the top and Oscar Piastri in second.
05:49
Lando Norris is now at the top of the order after setting a 1m 37.161. However, these laps will be irrelevant later when drivers begin their qualifying simulations.
05:46
A change at the top
Charles Leclerc is now at the top of the timesheets after setting a 1m 37.772 in his Ferrari.
05:45
The majority of the cars are now emerging onto the track with Lando Norris, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Oliver Bearman, Valtteri Bottas, and Oscar Piastri heading out of the pits.
05:43
The Audi drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are out on track, as well as the Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who has hard tyres on his car.
05:42
Pierre Gasly has gone fastest after setting a 1m 38.241 in his Alpine, relegating his teammate to second place.
05:37
Pierre Gasly, Arvid Lindblad, and Sergio Perez are now the only drivers out on track.