Leclerc leads Bahrain GP FP2 at Sepang; Mercedes finish seventh, eighth

Ferrari's best lap was 0.099s clear of Hadjar.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 2h1 min read

Photo via @autosport on X

What happened: Leclerc set a 1:37.528 in second practice for Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang. Isack Hadjar was 0.099 seconds back in second and Lando Norris ended the session third after forecast rain stayed away.

Why it matters: The session gave Ferrari the early pace marker heading into the rest of the weekend in Malaysia. It also left Mercedes' Sepang upgrade package with work to do after both cars finished outside the top six.

By the numbers: Leclerc's 1:37.528 was 0.099s faster than Hadjar in FP2, while Mercedes placed seventh and eighth in the session.

What to watch: FP3 and qualifying will show whether Ferrari can turn Friday pace into pole contention and whether Mercedes' upgrades move it closer to the front.

Sources

@autosport 2026-10-02T09:36:30.953519+00:00

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