The 2026 F1 FP3 session got underway in Malaysia, with teams looking to get to grips with the track ahead of Qualifying later on Saturday afternoon.
Max Verstappen led the timings in FP1, with Charles Leclerc topping the timings in FP2.
Overnight, the FIA also moved the pit entry bollard ahead of FP3, after drivers raised concerns about the procedure. Originally, they deemed any driver who ran wide and passed to the right of the bollard to have entered the pit lane, requiring them to continue into the pit lane rather than return to the track.
This also highlighted the potential consequence if a driver were to run wide at the final corner while battling in the race. The bollard was moved further back for Saturday.
Green lights for FP3
Perez led the way out for Cadillac on the soft tyres, with Colapinto following ahead of Lawson. Both drivers also headed out on the soft compound as teams began their first runs of the session.
Norris and Piastri were among the first drivers to take to the track on the medium tyres, with Norris immediately setting the benchmark with a 1:37.161s.
McLaren quickly established itself at the top of the timesheets, although the early running remained difficult to judge with several of the leading teams yet to complete a lap.
With 20 minutes gone, Red Bull and Mercedes had still not sent their drivers out, while Hamilton also remained in the pits.
Brief red flag
The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag after debris came off Ollie Bearman’s Haas. Race control stopped the session while marshals cleared the debris from the circuit, forcing the drivers back into the pits.
Once the track returned to green, Red Bull finally sent its cars out, joining McLaren on the medium tyres. The rest of the field headed out on the soft compound as teams began to build towards their qualifying preparations.
Traffic quickly became an issue around Sepang, with drivers struggling to find clear laps. Hamilton was briefly impeded by Lindblad. The low grip away from the racing line made the situation more difficult, as drivers were reluctant to move off the established line to allow faster cars through.
That left several drivers having to manage traffic carefully, particularly through the faster sections of the circuit, as they looked to avoid compromising their own preparation laps while not interfering with those on faster runs.
Mercedes leading the timings
Antonelli was the first driver to move into the 1:36s, setting a 1:36.924 to take the top spot.
His Mercedes teammate Russell then moved into P2, just 0.129s behind with a 1:37.053, putting both Mercedes drivers ahead of Norris’ earlier benchmark.
The top 10 with 10 minutes left of the session was made up of drivers from Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari and Alpine.
McLaren and Red Bull switched both drivers to the soft tyres. Hadjar immediately took advantage of the softer compound, rising to the top of the timesheets with a 1:36.860. Verstappen soon displaced him with a 1:36.580, but his time at the top was short-lived.
Antonelli then surged to the top with a 1:36.302, finishing 0.278s ahead of Verstappen as Mercedes continued to set the pace.
The Ferrari duo of Leclerc and Hamilton followed in P5 and P6, while Norris and Piastri slotted into P7 and P8. Colapinto secured P9, with Lindblad rounding out the top 10.
Full Results: 2026 F1 FP3 Session in Malaysia
