Max Verstappen made a strong start to the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend by topping the opening practice session at Sepang International Circuit, leading Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar.

Verstappen set the fastest time of 1:37.520 to finish 0.383 seconds ahead of Russell, while Hadjar completed the top three, continuing his impressive form with Red Bull. Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari, followed by championship leader Kimi Antonelli in fifth.

Formula 1 returned to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, bringing the championship back to the challenging Sepang circuit after a nine year absence. With several drivers on the current grid having never raced there before, the opening session provided valuable experience as teams worked to understand the track.

Verstappen, who won the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017, quickly adapted to the circuit and established himself at the front of the timesheets. Russell also looked comfortable, praising the track over team radio and describing it as a very cool circuit.

Mercedes arrived with upgrades for the weekend and a special livery celebrating its title partnership with PETRONAS. Antonelli, however, could only manage fifth after struggling to match the pace of his teammate.

Ferrari showed encouraging speed, with Leclerc finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton taking sixth. Pierre Gasly secured seventh for Alpine, ahead of Liam Lawson and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad. Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten for Audi.

McLaren had a quieter opening session, with Oscar Piastri finishing 11th and Lando Norris 12th. The team also experimented with different rear wing configurations as it looks to improve its performance following a difficult Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The hot and humid conditions at Sepang added another challenge for the drivers, with several teams focusing on tyre performance and gathering data ahead of the remaining sessions.

Verstappen therefore heads into FP2 with the fastest time of the opening practice, but Russell and Hadjar have shown that Red Bull will face competition as Formula 1 begins its long awaited return to Malaysia.