Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads Sepang third practice ahead of Red Bull pair
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time in the third free practice session at Sepang on Saturday, posting a 1'36"302 to edge out Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli led the third practice session at Sepang on Saturday, 3 October 2026, setting a lap time of 1'36"302 across 11 laps. The benchmark improved upon Friday's practice times, which hovered around 1'37"5, as Mercedes adjusted its setup following balance issues in the second practice session while evaluating new aerodynamic solutions. Track surface conditions and tire degradation kept lap times above the benchmarks recorded during the 2017 race weekend at the circuit.
Red Bull-Ford drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished second and third, with Verstappen posting a 1'36"560 and Hadjar recording a 1'36"860. Hadjar, along with Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto, will start the race from the back of the grid or the pit lane after changing power unit components. George Russell took fourth place with a 1'36"912, while Ferrari placed fifth and sixth, with Charles Leclerc (1'37"016) finishing 0.025 seconds ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton (1'37"041). McLaren-Mercedes drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri followed in seventh and eighth positions.
