Red Bull dominates Malaysia qualifying and confirms its status as the leading force, followed by a strong Ferrari with Hamilton. Mercedes struggles, finishing fourth and eighth: session summary and results
The qualifying session for the Bahrain GP in Malaysia has concluded. Let’s review what happened with a summary of the session.
and on Google News to improve the quality of the articles
Free practice left many questions unanswered but once again confirmed the season’s trend. Mercedes appears to have made the most progress overnight between Friday and Saturday, entering FP3 with a well-performing W17 after initial struggles. This weekend is critical for Mercedes due to a major upgrade package that significantly changed the car’s aerodynamics. The data is clear: the W17 gained substantial downforce and, with the car operating in the correct window, will be hard to beat. However, there is uncertainty around Red Bull, which seems to be in good form in Malaysia. Ferrari and McLaren face more difficulties, particularly Ferrari’s power unit, which remains a limiting factor on all circuits. Qualifying, however, could bring surprises.
Q1
Qualifying begins on one of the most challenging circuits to decipher. The technical layout and very abrasive asphalt test both cars and tires, which will have to manage wear and overheating. It is essential to complete the lap with tires still in their optimal window. Early times in the first run show Verstappen leading, followed by the Ferrari duo on medium tires, Piastri, Hadjar, Antonelli, and Norris. The top teams skip the second run, confirming positions, aiming to save as many soft tire sets as possible.
The drivers eliminated in Q1 are Hulkenberg, Bearman, Ocon, Albon, Bottas, and Perez.
Q2
Q2 starts with engines pushed harder as teams extract maximum performance ahead of Q3. Verstappen leads the first run, followed by Leclerc, Piastri, Hamilton, Norris, Hadjar, and Russell. Antonelli initially registers no time due to track limits but improves to take second place.
As in Q1, the top teams save an additional set of tires by staying in the pits. Eliminated in Q2 are Lawson, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Colapinto, and Lindblad. Notably, Aston Martin succeeded in reaching Q2.
Q3
The green light signals the third qualifying segment. Early times reconfirm Verstappen on pole, followed by Hadjar, Hamilton, Piastri, Leclerc, Norris, and Russell, while Antonelli chooses to run alone on track.
Antonelli climbs to third, just under four tenths off the leader. The second runs begin. Hadjar cannot improve and is overtaken by an impressive Hamilton in second place. Verstappen secures pole position, while Leclerc finishes fifth, behind Antonelli. McLaren drivers take sixth and seventh. It is a tough session for Mercedes’ Russell, finishing only eighth.
Red Bull, adapting better than others since Friday to the Malaysia track, surprises. Mercedes trails behind, still needing to fully understand its new package, while McLaren continues to face known challenges.
Ferrari’s big achievement is Hamilton’s second place, just three tenths from pole, with a car not yet on par with the competition. Looking ahead to tomorrow, tire management will be decisive and could alter the competitive landscape.
F1 | FIA modifies pit lane at Sepang, how the Bahrain GP entry changes in Malaysia
Follow us on social media: Telegram – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter