Skip to content
SPORTSBACK
Search
Language: EN
EnglishENEspañolESPortuguêsPTالعربيةAR日本語JA
F1

Antonelli tops final practice in Malaysia as Mercedes respond to slow Friday

The championship-leading team brought a heavily upgraded W17 to Sepang but had been off the pace in both Friday sessions.

By Sportsback
2018 Japanese Grand Prix Award Ceremony国土交通省 観光庁 · CC BY 4.0

Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time in third and final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Saturday, giving Mercedes the benchmark ahead of qualifying at Sepang. It was the first time this weekend that the Mercedes driver had set the pace.

The session marked a sharp turn from Friday. Mercedes brought a heavily upgraded W17 to Sepang but managed only second and fifth in first practice, then seventh and eighth in second practice, while other teams looked stronger over a single lap. The championship-leading team answered on Saturday.

  • First practice: Mercedes second and fifth
  • Second practice: Mercedes seventh and eighth
  • Third practice: Antonelli fastest

Antonelli is understood to have finished ahead of Max Verstappen, setting up a Mercedes against Red Bull fight for pole position. Neither team has commented on the session, and the margin between the two drivers has not been disclosed.

2026
Max Verstappen, Netherlands
Max VerstappenRed Bull · NetherlandsDriver
POS
6th
PTS
163
WINS
0
PODIUMS
7
Season 2026Sportsback

What the upgraded W17 means

Podium 2017 Malaysia, Lewis Hamilton and Max VerstappenMorio · CC BY-SA 4.0
Podium 2017 Malaysia, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen

Mercedes arrive at this round described as the dominant team of 2026 and the championship leaders, which changes how their Friday should be read. A heavy upgrade package on a leading car is usually intended to extend an advantage rather than repair a deficit, so two ordinary practice sessions raised the question of whether the new parts were behaving as expected.

Analysis: one session does not settle that question. Fuel loads, engine modes and track conditions are not disclosed in practice results, and a quick lap in final practice can reflect a lighter fuel run or a softer tyre choice as much as a genuine step in performance. Qualifying is the first meaningful test of the upgrade, and race pace on Sunday is the second.

What happens next in Malaysia

2019 Formula One tests Barcelona, Verstappen (cropped)Marc Alvarado · CC BY-SA 2.0
2019 Formula One tests Barcelona, Verstappen (cropped)

Qualifying decides the grid for the race at Sepang. If Antonelli converts his Saturday pace into pole, Mercedes start as the team to beat; if Red Bull find a lap, the contest tightens considerably. Mercedes have not said where their second car finished, so the team's overall strength remains partly unclear.

What is not yet known

No lap time for Antonelli has been disclosed, and no gap to the next car. The full order behind him is not established, and neither Mercedes nor Red Bull has commented on the running order in the session.

The round's billing is also unexplained: it is being staged at Sepang in Malaysia while carrying the Bahrain Grand Prix name. No explanation for that has been given.

Frequently asked questions

Who was fastest in final practice in Malaysia?
Kimi Antonelli set the quickest time for Mercedes. It was the first session of the weekend in which he had set the pace.
How did Mercedes run in first and second practice at Sepang?
Mercedes were second and fifth in first practice and seventh and eighth in second practice, despite bringing a heavily upgraded W17 to the circuit.
Who was second fastest behind Antonelli?
Max Verstappen is understood to have been next on the timesheets, though no gap between the two drivers has been disclosed.
What upgrade have Mercedes brought to Malaysia?
The team brought a heavily upgraded W17 to Sepang. The specific new components have not been detailed.
What happens after final practice in Malaysia?
Qualifying follows and decides the grid for the race at Sepang, where Mercedes and Red Bull are expected to contest pole position.

Related stories