George Russell calls Red Bull the strongest team after Bahrain practice despite Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets.

George Russell and Charles Leclerc identified Red Bull as the team to beat after the first day of practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Leclerc set the fastest time but finished only 0.099 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, with the gap suggesting multiple teams could challenge for pole position.

Max Verstappen finished fourth despite not completing a qualifying simulation on soft tires, instead focusing on race preparation due to potential rain. Leclerc noted that Hadjar had made mistakes on his fastest lap and believed Red Bull was hiding their true pace.

Russell described Red Bull as looking very fast based on their long-run pace, while also acknowledging Mercedes as difficult to understand. He suggested that once Mercedes puts everything together with their new upgrade package, they will be very strong competitors.

The practice sessions took place in challenging conditions with a dirty and slippery track surface at Sepang International Circuit. Teams struggled with tire overheating and degradation in the tropical temperatures, making setup work particularly difficult on Formula 1's return to Malaysia after nine years.