Formula 1 News: Leclerc tops FP2 for 2026 Bahrain GP at Maylasia

Charles Leclerc (pictured) topped Free Practice 2 for the 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, setting a 1m37.528 in the No. 16 Ferrari on soft Pirelli tires at Sepang International Circuit. –by Mark Cipolloni– The lap was just 0.008 seconds slower than Max Verstappen’s Practice 1 benchmark of 1m37.520. Verstappen did not use a set of softs in FP2, concentrating instead on medium-compound running, and finished fourth, 0.257 seconds behind Leclerc. Isack Hadjar was second for Red Bull, 0.099 seconds off Leclerc’s time. Hadjar took his 7th ICE of the season. He will receive a 5-place grid penalty.…