Charles Leclerc led the second practice session (FP2) at the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia, setting the fastest lap with a time of 1:37.528. His performance placed him just ahead of Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar and McLaren’s Lando Norris, who finished closely behind.
Isack Hadjar ended the session 0.099 seconds behind Leclerc, while Norris was 0.137 seconds off the top time. Max Verstappen took fourth place but did not run on soft tyres during the final stages, citing issues with his seating position. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and is currently under investigation for a potential impeding incident involving Gabriel Bortoleto.
The FP2 session on Friday, October 2, 2026, was influenced by a high chance of rain, estimated at 90%, which affected tyre strategies and track activity. Most drivers began on medium tyres, though some, including McLaren and Cadillac drivers as well as Pierre Gasly, opted for soft tyres early on. The session was interrupted near the end by a Virtual Safety Car due to Bortoleto’s car stopping on track. Several close racing incidents were noted, particularly involving Bortoleto with Hamilton and Arvid Lindblad.
Teams used the latter part of FP2 to focus on longer runs, gathering data ahead of the upcoming FP3 session scheduled for Saturday at 12:30 local time. Qualifying is set to follow later that day at 16:00. The session provided an early indication of pace among the leading drivers and teams, though these times remain preliminary and do not necessarily predict race outcomes.
Max Verstappen’s decision to avoid soft tyres late in the session due to seating discomfort was a notable factor in his lap times. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s fifth-place finish comes with an ongoing investigation into an alleged impeding incident involving Gabriel Bortoleto, which could affect his standing depending on the outcome.
The weather conditions played a significant role in tyre selection and strategy during FP2, with the threat of rain keeping teams cautious. The deployment of the Virtual Safety Car towards the end of the session also impacted final running plans. Drivers and teams will look to build on this session’s data as they prepare for the remaining practice and qualifying sessions.
This session highlighted Charles Leclerc’s pace in the Ferrari, with close competition from Red Bull Racing and McLaren drivers. The developments during FP2 set the stage for further on-track action as the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend progresses.