Liam Lawson logged top-10 finishes in Friday practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, placing eighth in the opening session and ninth in the second at the Sepang International Circuit, 1news.co.nz reported. The strong start comes as the 24-year-old New Zealander awaits an official announcement regarding his Formula 1 future for the 2027 season, with Racing Bulls yet to confirm its driver lineup.
Liam Lawson Claims Eighth And Ninth In Sepang Practice
Lawson opened his weekend on the circuit with a lap time of 1m 39.106s in free practice one, finishing 1.586 seconds behind pacesetter Max Verstappen, according to the NZ Herald. He improved his pace in the second session with a 1m 38.496s, ending up ninth and 0.968s behind Charles Leclerc’s benchmark, as reported by VelocityNews. Speedcafe.com noted that Lawson completed 52 laps across both sessions, working alongside Racing Bulls engineers to refine the car’s setup between runs.
The New Zealander narrowly outpaced his rookie teammate, Arvid Lindblad, during Friday’s running. Lindblad finished ninth in the opening session and eleventh in FP2, according to 1news.co.nz and Speedcafe.com. Unlike Lawson, Lindblad faces a significant grid penalty for Sunday’s race after Racing Bulls elected to change multiple power unit components, saddling the rookie with a 30-place drop that guarantees a start from the rear of the grid.
Track Temperatures And Tyre Degradation Shape Friday Runs
Extreme heat and abrasive asphalt created severe tyre wear during Friday’s sessions, with track temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in the opening run, according to the NZ Herald and Speedcafe.com. Lawson pointed to the lack of recent resurfacing as a primary factor in the high degradation rates. Teams spent considerable time collecting data on long runs to prepare for potential strategic variation during the race.
Formula 1 has returned to Sepang for the first time since 2017, with the venue stepping in to host the Bahrain Grand Prix following disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, as reported by 1news.co.nz and the NZ Herald. While dry conditions prevailed on Friday, both Lawson and Lindblad highlighted the historical unpredictability of local weather, noting that savage evening thunderstorms remain a distinct possibility for the remainder of the weekend.
Kimi Antonelli Seeks Clean Weekend After Disruption
Kimi Antonelli finished fifth in the first practice session and eighth in the second, working to put behind him what he described as his worst weekend of the season in Azerbaijan. Antonelli carries a 66-point lead over teammate George Russell into the Malaysia round, down from 81 points following a qualifying crash last week that forced him to scramble from 16th on the grid to finish fifth. Russell, who secured his first win in nearly three months in Azerbaijan, went second-fastest behind Verstappen in FP1 and trails his Italian teammate in the championship fight.
Leclerc Tops Practice Ahead of Hadjar
On the track, Leclerc provided a bright spot for the Scuderia by topping the timesheets in the second practice session by 0.099 seconds over Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Bahrain Grand Prix In Malaysia
When does qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia start?
Qualifying begins at 9:00 PM New Zealand time on Saturday, as reported by the NZ Herald. Local track time for the session is set for 4:00 PM, according to Speedcafe.com.
Why is Formula 1 racing at Sepang instead of Bahrain?
Formula 1 relocated the Bahrain Grand Prix to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia due to disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, according to 1news.co.nz and the NZ Herald.
What penalty does Arvid Lindblad face for Sunday’s race?
Racing Bulls changed multiple power unit components on Lindblad’s car, resulting in a 30-place grid penalty that forces the rookie to start from the rear of the grid, Speedcafe.com reported.
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