Red Bull lead practice pace as rivals assess Sepang form

Friday's Formula 1 running in Malaysia suggested a close and competitive weekend, with attention focused on long-run pace and how the leading teams compared at Sepang. Several assessments from the day pointed to Red Bull setting the standard after the opening practice sessions.

In second practice, Max Verstappen recorded the strongest long-run showing after comparisons were adjusted for tyre compounds and stint lengths. He was running on medium tyres, with George Russell next at 0.19 seconds behind and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc 0.32 seconds back in the same analysis.

Russell and Leclerc both described Red Bull as the strongest team after the first day of running. Elsewhere, the practice-day picture also included reaction to an upgrade debut and signs of improved form for a recent race winner, underlining that there is still more to learn before the rest of the weekend unfolds.