Antonelli fastest in final Bahrain GP practice at Sepang
Kimi Antonelli led Free Practice 3 for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, putting Mercedes on top ahead of qualifying at Sepang. He finished clear of Max Verstappen, with Isack Hadjar third and George Russell fourth.
Antonelli set the pace in the final practice session for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, giving Mercedes its first quickest time of the weekend. At the Sepang International Circuit, he recorded a best lap of 1:36.302.
That put Antonelli 0.278s ahead of Max Verstappen, while Red Bull's Isack Hadjar was third. Mercedes team-mate George Russell was fourth, 0.610s off the leading time.
The session began quietly as challenging conditions persisted. Antonelli's performance marked a turnaround for Mercedes after a tougher Friday, when its upgraded W17 had not topped either practice session.
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