Leclerc Puts Ferrari on Top at Sepang

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in FP2 at Sepang, moving Ferrari to the top of the order after Max Verstappen had led the opening session earlier on Friday.

Leclerc produced a 1:37.528 on the soft tyre, beating Red Bull's Isack Hadjar by less than a tenth of a second, with Lando Norris only 0.137s behind in third. Motorsport Week

The result gives Ferrari an encouraging start to Formula 1's first weekend at Sepang since 2017.

Verstappen in FP1. Leclerc in FP2. Malaysia is already wide open.

Hadjar Impresses as Norris Brings McLaren Forward

Hadjar continued Red Bull's strong Friday by taking P2, having already finished third in FP1.

McLaren also made a significant step forward. After Oscar Piastri and Norris ended FP1 outside the top 10, Norris jumped to third in FP2, putting the MCL40 back into the leading group.

Verstappen, meanwhile, couldn't repeat his FP1 benchmark and finished fourth, with Lewis Hamilton completing the top five for Ferrari. Piastri took sixth, giving McLaren two cars inside the top six.

The leading six were:

1. Charles Leclerc — 1:37.528
2. Isack Hadjar — less than 0.1s behind
3. Lando Norris — +0.137s
4. Max Verstappen
5. Lewis Hamilton
6. Oscar Piastri

Rain Threatens but Sepang Stays Dry

Rain had been one of the major concerns heading into FP2, with forecasts suggesting a strong possibility of showers around Sepang.

Instead, the rain stayed away and teams were able to complete their dry-weather programmes, including qualifying simulations and longer runs. RacingNews365

That running will be particularly valuable given how little recent Formula 1 data teams have from Sepang.

Ferrari Joins a Tight Malaysia Fight

For Winbox Racing, Friday's two sessions suggest the Malaysia weekend could be extremely competitive.

Red Bull topped FP1 with Verstappen. Ferrari responded with Leclerc in FP2. Hadjar has been inside the top three in both sessions, while McLaren made a significant recovery during the afternoon.

Mercedes will also remain a major factor as the team continues evaluating its latest W17 upgrade package at Sepang.

The next opportunity to understand the real competitive order comes in FP3 at 12:30pm MYT on Saturday, followed by qualifying at 4:00pm MYT. Motorsport

Leclerc P1. Hadjar P2. Norris P3.

Four teams are in the fight — and qualifying is next.

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