Formula 1 qualifying takes place today at Sepang as the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia moves into a crucial Saturday. FP3 starts at 12:30 local time, before qualifying begins at 16:00 and decides the grid for Sunday’s race.
Friday produced a closely matched leading group, with Charles Leclerc fastest in FP2 for Ferrari after Max Verstappen had led the opening session for Red Bull Racing. Isack Hadjar, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton were also firmly in contention during the second hour.
Championship leaders Mercedes endured a less straightforward Friday, with George Russell seventh in FP2 and Kimi Antonelli eighth. Both made mistakes on their soft tyre laps, however, meaning the timesheets may not reflect the team’s true qualifying potential.
What time is FP3 today at the Bahrain GP?
FP3 for the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia starts at 12:30 local time on Saturday, October 3. The final practice session runs for one hour and gives teams their last opportunity to refine set-ups before qualifying.
FP3 start times around the world:
- Malaysia (MYT): 12:30
- United Kingdom (BST): 05:30
- United States Eastern (ET): 00:30
- United States Pacific (PT): 21:30 Friday
- Australia (AEST): 14:30
- New Zealand (NZDT): 17:30
FP3 could prove especially important because track conditions evolved significantly throughout Friday. Sepang started dusty and relatively low grip before rubber built up across the two sessions, and another step is expected on Saturday.
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What time does F1 qualifying start today?
F1 qualifying for the Bahrain GP starts at 16:00 local time in Malaysia. That means the fight for pole begins at 09:00 in the UK, 04:00 ET and 01:00 PT.
Qualifying start times around the world:
- Malaysia (MYT): 16:00
- United Kingdom (BST): 09:00
- United States Eastern (ET): 04:00
- United States Pacific (PT): 01:00
- Australia (AEST): 18:00
- New Zealand (NZDT): 21:00
Sunday’s race starts at 15:00 local time and is scheduled for 56 laps of the Sepang International Circuit. Qualifying therefore represents the final opportunity to secure track position before what is expected to be a demanding race for the tyres.
Full Bahrain GP in Malaysia 2026 schedule
The relocated Bahrain GP follows the traditional three day Formula 1 weekend format. FP3 and qualifying take place on Saturday before the Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.
| Session | Date | Local time |
|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Friday, October 2 | 12:30 |
| Practice 2 | Friday, October 2 | 16:00 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, October 3 | 12:30 |
| Qualifying | Saturday, October 3 | 16:00 |
| Bahrain GP | Sunday, October 4 | 15:00 |
The Sepang International Circuit measures 5.543 km and combines long straights with fast, flowing corners. That makes qualifying a compromise between straight line efficiency and having enough downforce to attack the more demanding sections of the lap.
Bahrain GP qualifying weather forecast
Saturday is expected to remain hot and extremely humid at Sepang, with temperatures reaching around 32C. The humidity could reach approximately 86%, creating a heat index close to 36C.
There is also a 40% chance of rain during the day, meaning FP3 or qualifying could still be affected by a tropical shower. Track temperatures could reach around 53C if conditions remain dry and sunny.
The threat of rain is especially significant at Sepang because weather can change quickly across such a large circuit. One part of the track can be wet while another remains dry, making tyre decisions and qualifying timing particularly difficult.
Leclerc leads Ferrari charge after FP2
Leclerc ended Friday with the fastest lap of the day after setting a 1:37.528 in FP2. The Ferrari driver finished 0.099 seconds ahead of Hadjar, while Norris was another 0.038 seconds behind in third.
It was an encouraging session for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton fifth and only 0.305 seconds away from his teammate. Both drivers complained about the low grip available, but the outright pace suggested the Scuderia will be firmly involved in the fight for the front rows.
The bigger question is how much more the track evolves before qualifying. Leclerc himself expects substantial improvement, meaning Friday’s fastest lap may be significantly beaten when the cars return on Saturday afternoon.
Verstappen may have more pace than the timesheets show
Verstappen was fastest in FP1 with a 1:37.520, which remained eight thousandths quicker than Leclerc’s FP2 benchmark. The Dutchman then finished fourth in the second session despite setting his fastest time on the medium tyre.
That makes Verstappen one of the most intriguing drivers heading into qualifying. Most of his rivals completed soft tyre runs in FP2, meaning the Red Bull Racing driver may have significant single lap performance still available.
The long run pace also looked encouraging for Red Bull Racing on Friday. High tyre degradation remains a concern, but the car appeared competitive across both low and high fuel running.
Hadjar impresses but faces grid penalty
Isack Hadjar was third in FP1 before improving to second in FP2. His 1:37.627 left him less than one tenth behind Leclerc, confirming Red Bull Racing’s strong start to the weekend.
But even a strong qualifying result will not translate directly into the same starting position. Hadjar carries a five place grid penalty after taking another internal combustion engine for the Sepang weekend.
That creates an interesting situation for Saturday because Hadjar still has every reason to qualify as high as possible. Each place gained in qualifying reduces the eventual impact of his penalty on Sunday’s starting position.
Norris puts McLaren into the qualifying fight
Norris ended FP2 third for McLaren, just 0.137 seconds away from Leclerc. The result represented a major improvement after the team struggled to bring the car into its ideal operating window during FP1.
Oscar Piastri finished sixth, giving McLaren two cars inside the leading group by the end of Friday. Both drivers also reported more encouraging qualifying and long run performance during the second session.
Tyre degradation remains the major question for the team. Sepang’s hot and abrasive surface punished the tyres heavily on Friday, making managing temperatures an important part of both qualifying preparation and race set-up.
Mercedes need to unlock their Sepang upgrade
Friday’s classification was less impressive for Mercedes, with Russell seventh and Antonelli eighth in FP2. The headline positions were misleading, however, because both drivers made mistakes during their soft tyre qualifying simulations.
Antonelli’s lap was deleted for exceeding track limits, while Russell aborted his effort after an error through the final corner. That leaves significant uncertainty over where the W17 truly sits compared with Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and McLaren.
Mercedes also introduced a substantial upgrade package at Sepang but struggled to extract its full potential on Friday. Tyre overheating reduced some of the benefit from the additional downforce, while the team admitted its long run pace was more concerning than its qualifying performance.
FP3 therefore becomes particularly valuable for the championship leaders. A cleaner soft tyre run should offer a much clearer indication of whether Russell and Antonelli can fight for pole.
Antonelli faces another important championship Saturday
Antonelli enters qualifying with a 66 point championship advantage over Russell after losing ground at the Azerbaijan GP. His fifth place in Baku limited the damage after starting 16th, but Russell’s victory ensured the title battle tightened again.
The Italian had a relatively cautious opening day at Sepang, finishing fifth in FP1 before dropping to eighth in FP2. His deleted soft tyre lap means his final position should not be taken as a reliable measure of his outright speed.
A strong qualifying result would be particularly valuable after the difficulties in Azerbaijan. Starting ahead of Russell would give Antonelli another opportunity to stabilise a championship lead that once looked substantially more comfortable.
Russell looks to maintain Baku momentum
Russell arrives on Saturday carrying the momentum of pole position and victory in Azerbaijan. He also started the Sepang weekend strongly by finishing second behind Verstappen in FP1.
FP2 was more complicated as tyre overheating and his mistake on the soft tyre left him seventh. Even so, Russell believes there is performance available if Mercedes can find a better operating window overnight.
The Briton cannot afford to waste many opportunities if he is to keep the championship alive. Starting ahead of Antonelli for the second consecutive race would maintain the pressure on his teammate heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Grid penalties will change Sunday’s starting order
Saturday qualifying will not produce the final race grid exactly as it appears on the timesheets. Three drivers already carry penalties after exceeding their power unit component allocations.
Hadjar has a five place grid drop, while Arvid Lindblad will start from the back after accumulating a 30 place penalty. Franco Colapinto has an additional 10 place drop on top of the five place penalty he carried into the weekend from Azerbaijan.
Those penalties could create opportunities for drivers fighting around the edge of Q3. A driver qualifying 11th or 12th could move several positions forward once the sanctions are applied.
Why qualifying at Sepang is so difficult
Sepang demands commitment through a wide range of corners, but tyre preparation may be the biggest qualifying challenge this weekend. The abrasive surface and extreme temperatures mean a tyre can quickly move beyond its ideal working range.
Drivers therefore need to prepare their tyres without using too much performance before the flying lap begins. Pushing too aggressively early in the lap can leave the rear tyres overheating through the final sector.
Track evolution adds another complication. Friday began with a dusty surface and comparatively little grip, but lap times improved significantly as more rubber was laid down.
That should continue into qualifying, making later runs potentially much faster than earlier attempts. Drivers who feel safe after their first lap could still find themselves suddenly under pressure as the track improves.
Rain could transform qualifying
The possibility of rain remains one of the major unknowns heading into Saturday. A 40% precipitation risk is enough to force teams to remain flexible with their qualifying programmes.
If rain arrives during Q1 or Q2, timing could become more important than outright car performance. Getting a lap completed before a heavy shower reaches the circuit may decide who progresses to the next stage.
Sepang’s tropical weather also makes predicting conditions particularly difficult. Showers can form quickly and affect only sections of the circuit, creating situations where slicks are faster in some corners while intermediates are safer elsewhere.
What to watch during F1 qualifying today
The main question is whether Leclerc can convert his FP2 pace into pole or whether Verstappen has more performance available after never using the soft tyre. The small gaps between Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and McLaren suggest the qualifying fight could be one of the closest of the season.
Key storylines include:
- Whether Leclerc can stay fastest for Ferrari
- How much Verstappen gains when he uses the soft tyre
- Whether Hadjar can qualify near the front despite his penalty
- If Norris can put McLaren into the pole fight
- Whether Hamilton can close the gap to Leclerc
- How much Mercedes improve overnight
- Whether Russell can continue his Baku momentum
- If Antonelli can respond after a quieter Friday
- How track evolution affects Q1, Q2 and Q3
- Whether tropical rain disrupts qualifying
FP3 should answer some of those questions, but teams may deliberately hide performance until the afternoon. The true competitive order may not become clear until the final runs of Q3.
Championship context before qualifying
Antonelli leads the Drivers’ Championship on 302 points, with Russell second on 236 and Hamilton third on 199. Norris sits fourth on 186, ahead of Leclerc on 179 and Verstappen on 163.
That makes qualifying increasingly important as the season enters its closing stages. Russell needs to continue reducing the deficit, while Hamilton, Norris and Leclerc require major results if they are to remain within mathematical reach of the leader.
Mercedes remain well clear in the Constructors’ Championship, but Friday showed that the team may not have the fastest car at Sepang. Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and McLaren all showed enough pace to make Saturday significantly less predictable.
F1 Today FAQs: Bahrain GP Qualifying
Qualifying for the Bahrain GP in Malaysia starts at 16:00 local time, which is 09:00 in the UK, 04:00 ET and 01:00 PT.
FP3 starts at 12:30 local time in Malaysia, which is 05:30 BST, 00:30 ET and 21:30 PT on Friday evening.
Max Verstappen topped FP1 for Red Bull Racing, while Charles Leclerc was fastest in FP2 for Ferrari.
Charles Leclerc set the fastest FP2 time with a 1:37.528. Isack Hadjar finished second and Lando Norris third.
Saturday is expected to be hot and humid with temperatures reaching around 32C. There is a 40% chance of rain, while track temperatures could climb above 53C.
Yes. Isack Hadjar carries a five place grid penalty after taking another internal combustion engine at Sepang.
Arvid Lindblad will start from the back after receiving a 30 place power unit penalty. Franco Colapinto also has a 10 place power unit penalty in addition to his existing five place sanction from Azerbaijan.
The 2026 Bahrain GP is being staged at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Formula 1 had not raced at Sepang since 2017 before this weekend.
Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship with 302 points, 66 ahead of George Russell. Lewis Hamilton is third on 199 points.
