Kimi Antonelli delivered a commanding performance for Mercedes to top the final practice session at the Malaysian Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar as the teams made their final preparations for qualifying at Sepang.
After what Mercedes described as one of its toughest Fridays of the season, the Silver Arrows bounced back on Saturday, with Antonelli setting the pace in FP3 with a lap time of 1:36.302. The Italian finished 0.278 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen, while Hadjar secured third place.
The session began relatively quietly when the lights turned green at 12:30 local time. Cadillac’s Sergio Perez was among the first drivers to hit the track, with the Mexican being one of only 10 active drivers on the current grid who competed in the last Formula 1 race at Sepang in 2017.
As more cars emerged from the pit lane, several drivers opted for soft tyres for their opening runs in the hot and humid conditions. Charles Leclerc initially set the benchmark with a 1:37.772 on hard tyres, going against the majority of the field.
McLaren quickly took control of the timing screens, with Lando Norris going six-tenths faster than Leclerc to move into first place. His teammate Oscar Piastri followed in second, although he remained three-tenths behind Norris.
The session was interrupted by a red flag shortly before its halfway point after debris was spotted on the track. Replays showed that the debris had come from Ollie Bearman’s Haas, bringing the running to a temporary halt.
At that stage, several major contenders had yet to set representative lap times, including both Mercedes drivers, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
MERCEDES STRIKES BACK AS ANTONELLI SETS THE PACE
Once the session resumed, a queue of cars emerged from the pit lane as drivers began their next runs. Red Bull joined McLaren in using medium tyres, while most of the field continued on soft compounds.
Antonelli immediately made his presence felt, setting a new benchmark of 1:36.924 on soft tyres.
Verstappen briefly showed strong pace in the first sector but could only manage fourth place on his initial attempt, apparently losing time in traffic during the final part of his lap.
Traffic became an increasing problem as more cars crowded the circuit. Hamilton was also seen gesturing in frustration after getting caught behind the slower Racing Bulls car of Arvid Lindblad.
With 15 minutes remaining, McLaren switched both drivers to soft tyres in an attempt to challenge Mercedes. However, Norris could only climb to third, while Piastri remained fifth.
Aston Martin also showed signs of improvement, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll moving up to 11th and 14th respectively.
As the final minutes approached, the drivers returned to the circuit for their last attempts. Leclerc briefly moved ahead of one of the Mercedes cars, but the order continued to change as more drivers crossed the finish line.
Antonelli ultimately delivered the decisive lap, while Verstappen and Hadjar moved into second and third to complete the top three.
ANTONELLI LEADS MERCEDES 1-2 CHALLENGE
Antonelli’s impressive 1:36.302 proved unbeatable, giving Mercedes a significant boost heading into qualifying. Verstappen finished second, 0.278 seconds behind, while Hadjar secured third place, approximately half a second off the pace.
George Russell placed fourth, six-tenths behind his teammate, while Ferrari’s Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth respectively.
McLaren had to settle for seventh and eighth, with Norris ahead of Piastri. Franco Colapinto put Alpine ninth, while Lindblad completed the top 10 for Racing Bulls.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missed the top 10 in 11th, ahead of Alonso, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Haas driver Esteban Ocon, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Audi teammate Nico Hulkenberg.
Bearman finished 17th, followed by Williams driver Carlos Sainz, Stroll, Alex Albon, Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Perez.
With final practice complete, attention now turns to qualifying, scheduled to begin at 16:00 local time. Antonelli’s pace suggests Mercedes could be firmly in contention for pole position, but Verstappen and the rest of the field will have one final opportunity to challenge the Italian when it matters most.
Antonelli’s performance gives Mercedes a timely confidence boost after a difficult Friday. However, Verstappen’s proximity suggests the fight for pole position could still be wide open. The real question is whether Mercedes can translate its single-lap pace into a qualifying advantage when the pressure rises.
What do you think? Can Antonelli convert his FP3 pace into pole position, or will Verstappen strike back in qualifying? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Adhe is part of the 88 Eight Box Editorial Team, covering JDM culture, motorsport, automotive technology, and industry news. The team focuses on delivering original automotive stories, reviews, and insights for enthusiasts worldwide.
