Ferrari at Sepang: Leclerc, Hamilton and the Scuderia's Weekend — Live Beat

TEAM BEAT

By Will Tygart · October 3, 2026 · Live beat — updated through the weekend

The latest

• Mon 2:26 PM MYT — - Life N Hobby: the start was delayed twice for rain; Ferrari’s tyre gamble failed; Hamilton went from 18th to 3rd and passed Isack Hadjar with three laps left. source
• Mon 2:26 PM MYT — - Corriere dello Sport front page: Verstappen won after the deluge; Antonelli’s 2nd puts him 84 points up on George Russell, who retired; Hamilton 3rd. source
• Mon 2:26 PM MYT — - La Prensa: Max Verstappen won at Sepang, Kimi Antonelli 2nd, Lewis Hamilton 3rd. source
• Mon 11:24 AM MYT — - La Gazzetta dello Sport’s front called it a Ferrari oversight: Hamilton third, Antonelli second behind Verstappen and 84 points ahead after Sepang. source
• Mon 11:24 AM MYT — - Corriere dello Sport’s Monday front: Verstappen won the wet Malaysia race, Hamilton finished third (“Wrong tires, but I never gave up”), and Antonelli’s second place left him 84 points clear of Russell, who retired, with seven races left. source
• Mon 11:24 AM MYT — - No team statement from @ScuderiaFerrari on the race, qualifying, or either driver. source
• Mon 8:25 AM MYT — - **Both Ferraris scored:** posted classification is Verstappen, Antonelli, Hamilton, then Charles Leclerc fourth. source
• Mon 8:25 AM MYT — - **Race result:** Max Verstappen won the rain-hit Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, Kimi Antonelli was second, and Lewis Hamilton finished third for Ferrari. source
• Mon 8:25 AM MYT — - **@ScuderiaFerrari**’s only post: “2 down in this triple header, thank you Sepang.” source
• Mon 5:24 AM MYT — - @ScuderiaFerrari: strong drives from both Hamilton and Leclerc — source
• Mon 5:24 AM MYT — - @ScuderiaFerrari: back on the podium in red — source
• Mon 5:24 AM MYT — - @ScuderiaFerrari: two races of the triple-header done, thank you Sepang — source
• Mon 2:24 AM MYT — - @ScuderiaFerrari posted “Your top 3 in Malaysia.” source
• Mon 2:24 AM MYT — - @ScuderiaFerrari: “Strong drives from both LH and CL today” in Malaysia. source
• Mon 2:24 AM MYT — - Hamilton, via @ScuderiaFerrari: P3 after the way the race began “feels really satisfying.” source
• Sun 9:20 PM MYT — Stewards: Audi fined €30,000 over Hülkenberg’s pit stop. The release light went green while a mechanic was still at the left-front wheel — Hülkenberg started to move, then stopped. Not classed as an unsafe release (the car never left its box), but the team copped a fine for creating the unsafe situation; €20,000 of it suspended. No driver penalty, no change to the classification. Norris’s safety-car summons still has no published decision.
• Sun 8:23 PM MYT — - Lap 53: Hamilton up to P3. Lap 54: Leclerc passed Hadjar for P4: source
• Sun 8:23 PM MYT — - Lights out. Both Ferraris started on softs. On lap 5 Leclerc pitted for intermediates while Hamilton stayed out as the track dried: source
• Sun 8:23 PM MYT — - Restart set for 16:33 local, original grid kept: Lewis Hamilton P2, Charles Leclerc P4: source
• Sun 6:50 PM MYT — Provisional classification is out — and Russell didn’t finish. The stewards’ sheet (6:41 PM MYT) reads: VER, ANT, HAM, LEC, HAD, PIA, LAW, ALO, NOR, LIN. George Russell is classified P20, 49 laps, DNF — cause not given. Fastest lap: Verstappen on lap 55. It’s still provisional: Lando Norris has been summoned to the stewards (7:20 PM MYT hearing) for alleged erratic driving under the safety car. No penalty yet, no result change.
• Sun 6:25 PM MYT — OFFICIAL: double Ferrari in the top four — Hamilton P3, Leclerc P4. The teams have confirmed it: Verstappen wins, Antonelli P2, Hamilton P3 (Ferrari: "That’s P3 in the Bahrain GP for Lewis!"). And Leclerc made it a double — he passed Hadjar on lap 54 for P4. The late safety car bunched the field; at the restart on lap 52 Hamilton hunted down Hadjar and took him on lap 53 to a huge crowd roar. From P17 and P14 at the restart to P3 and P4 at the flag — some recovery.
• Sun 6:20 PM MYT — CHEQUERED FLAG: Verstappen wins at Sepang — and Hamilton takes P3! Max Verstappen is the winner of the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA 2026 — the last man to win at Sepang before it left the calendar, and the first to win on its return. And what a drive from Lewis Hamilton: from the soft-tyre gamble, the throttle glitch, and P17 all the way to the podium. He hunted down Hadjar in the closing laps and got him. Leclerc’s final position still unconfirmed (he was P6 with 15 to go). Full classification to follow.
• Sun 5:50 PM MYT — Final 15 laps: both Ferraris in the points and hunting more. Ferrari: "Into the final 15 laps. Hamilton P5, Leclerc P6." Hamilton is all over Hadjar’s gearbox fighting for P4 — Red Bull say Isack is “keeping HAM at bay so far.” Up front, Verstappen and Antonelli both stopped for softs on lap 34 and hold P1/P2. Verstappen looks in control to the flag.
• Sun 5:30 PM MYT — The yellow flags were for Bottas in the gravel — that brought the safety car. And the restart order is now clear: Hamilton was P11 and Leclerc P14 when the race resumed on lap 14. Both have been climbing ever since: Hamilton P5, Leclerc P9 and coming.
• Sun 5:25 PM MYT — - Lap 21/55: Leclerc gets past Norris and moves up to P11. source
• Sun 5:25 PM MYT — - Lap 21/55: Hamilton makes a clean pass on Ocon for P6. source
• Sun 5:25 PM MYT — - Lap 23/55: Hamilton is P5 and Leclerc P9 after more overtakes on an improving track. source
• Sun 5:10 PM MYT — Lead change: Verstappen hits the front. Verstappen and Antonelli went wheel-to-wheel for the lead — and Russell slipped past his teammate into P2. So it’s VER, RUS, ANT at the front on lap 14. For Ferrari, the picture is unchanged and bleak: Hamilton still out on the wrong softs, Leclerc recovering on inters after the Hülkenberg contact.
• Sun 5:05 PM MYT — The Ferrari gamble is unravelling. Both cars started on softs in the wet. Leclerc had contact with Hülkenberg at the start, then pitted for intermediates. Hamilton stayed out on softs — and he’s lapping 7–10 seconds off the pace, down in P17. Up front: Antonelli leads, Verstappen has taken P2 from Russell and is attacking for the lead.
• Sun 5:00 PM MYT — Hamilton’s issue explained — and he’s P17. On the aborted formation lap, Hamilton told the team he was pressing the throttle with no response; Ferrari investigated it as a software glitch. Now in the race he’s reported down in P17. Leclerc’s position still unconfirmed. Antonelli leads under yellow, Verstappen P2.
• Sun 4:55 PM MYT — Timing tower: Antonelli leads, both Ferraris out of the top 10. Under yellow flags it’s ANT, VER +1.055, RUS +3.806, HAD P4, then Lawson, Ocon, Sainz, Lindblad, Albon, Piastri (who has pitted) — all on intermediates. Neither Hamilton nor Leclerc is in the top 10; how they fell back is unconfirmed and we’re checking. That fan report about Antonelli and Russell up front was right.
• Sun 4:50 PM MYT — Lap 7 — they’re racing. The field is circulating on the wet track after the 4:40 restart. Running order being confirmed lap by lap; at the restart it was Verstappen leading, Hamilton P2, Leclerc P4. One fan report claims Antonelli and Russell are up front — unverified. Tyre calls in these opening laps are everything.
• Sun 4:47 PM MYT — RACE RESTARTED. After nearly two hours of delays, the field is racing — broadcast graphics show LAP 3/55 on a wet Sepang. The restart came around 4:40 PM MYT in original grid order: Verstappen leading, Hamilton P2, Leclerc P4. 55 laps on the board, not 56 — the delays cost the race a lap.
• Sun 4:25 PM MYT — Still no start time — but the track is drying. McLaren’s ‘weather update: drying’ shows a damp pit lane with no standing water; Haas are reorganising the pit lane and the original grid order stands. Ferrari, meanwhile: ‘passing the time.’ The grandstand is still waiting on a clock.
• Sun 4:05 PM MYT — Formation-lap fallout: Hamilton had a scare. During the aborted formation lap, Hamilton slowed with an apparent issue on his Ferrari (3:44 PM) — then got going again two minutes later. Hadjar slid through the Turn 3 gravel and rejoined. Race Control suspended the start and sent everyone back to the pits, not the grid. Alpine: ‘it’s going to take some time to work out a new order.’ No new start time. Everyone had been on intermediates.
• Sun 3:55 PM MYT — STARTING PROCEDURE SUSPENDED — the race has not started. After the 15:40 formation lap got underway, Race Control suspended the start; cars are back on the grid behind the safety car. Fan reports describe a chaotic formation lap with cars going off in the wet, and one report mentions an incident involving Hamilton — unconfirmed. We jumped the gun on the start call; the correction is posted.
• Sun 3:50 PM MYT — CORRECTED: the field never raced — the starting procedure was suspended and cars returned to the grid. Original entry was premature.
• Sun 3:40 PM MYT — CORRECTED: the formation lap began at 15:40 but the starting procedure was then suspended — the race never got underway. Original entry was premature.
• Sun 3:25 PM MYT — Still delayed, but the mood is holding. Ferrari's own post from the garage: a crack of lightning ‘woke us all up’ — Hamilton waiting with the crew. Marshals are sweeping standing water off the racing line (official F1 photos show a broom on track at T4). One fan report quotes Race Control saying rain should ease within minutes; the medical car is heading out again to check. No new start time yet.
• Sun 3:20 PM MYT — Still waiting — formation attempt aborted. A broadcast graphic spotted by fans read ‘RACE CONTROL: LAP ABORTED’ with the safety-car procedure suspended — Race Control tried to get things moving and thought better of it. No new start time yet. The Ferraris sit it out on a soaked grid.
• Sun 3:00 PM MYT — RACE DELAYED. Heavy rain over Sepang — Race Control has postponed the start, new time TBA. The on/off showers finally arrived in force: soaked grid, Haas crew under tents, ‘DELAYED START’ on the gantry boards. Both Ferraris wait on the grid. The tyre-strategy picture just got a lot more complicated.
• Sun 2:45 PM MYT — Leclerc on Q3: an overly aggressive setup overheated his rear tyres in the final session, costing him a shot at the front row — he starts P4. 15 minutes to lights out. Hamilton P2 alongside Verstappen; both Ferraris on the clean side of a coin-flip weather race.
• Sun 2:24 PM MYT — @ScuderiaFerrari posted how Hamilton and Leclerc will line up for the Bahrain GP. source
• Sun 2:24 PM MYT — @ScuderiaFerrari: "It's been a while since we've been in this paddock." source
• Sun 2:24 PM MYT — @ScuderiaFerrari: "NOW it feels like Race Day." source
• Sun 2:20 PM MYT — Strategy picture: Hamilton flexible, Leclerc boxed in. Pirelli's tyre data shows Hamilton (P2) has both fastest two-stop plans open (Medium-Hard-Hard, windows L12-18 and L32-38, 56 laps, ~22.5s pit loss). Leclerc (P4) has only ONE new hard set plus 2 new softs — the same constraint as polesitter Verstappen — pushing him toward Soft-Hard-Medium or hoping for a safety car. Race-sim pace has Ferrari just +0.14s off Red Bull, the closest challenger. 30-40% rain chance, 31-32°C. The opening stint question: can Hamilton attack Verstappen from the front row while the strategy options are open?
• Sun 2:15 PM MYT — Lights out in ~45 minutes. Hamilton starts P2 on the front row alongside Verstappen (1:35.428, +0.298); Leclerc starts P4 after Hadjar's five-place engine-penalty demotion (1:35.666). Rain has been on and off all afternoon at Sepang — dry track in the stands at 1:49 PM, fans reporting rain returning. Leclerc: “the weather is difficult to know what to expect and, at the same time, the degradation will be very high.” Ferrari's race-eve brief: analyse the weekend data, define the strategy for heat and degradation, maximise the points haul. This beat runs live through the race.
• Sun 11:25 AM MYT — - Scuderia Ferrari posted a parc fermé video, Lewis edition. source
• Sun 11:25 AM MYT — - Motorsport: Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton on the front row at Sepang. source
• Sun 11:25 AM MYT — - Scuderia Ferrari posted how Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will line up for the Bahrain Grand Prix. source
• Sun 8:24 AM MYT — Sector times posted for qualifying: Verstappen 24.5s (sector 1) and 39.0s (sector 3), Hamilton 31.2s (sector 2); theoretical lap 1:34.721, actual pole 1:35.130. source
• Sun 8:24 AM MYT — Posted start order: P1 Verstappen, P2 Hamilton, P3 Kimi Antonelli, P4 Charles Leclerc, P5 Lando Norris; Isack Hadjar qualified P3 and starts P8 after a power-unit penalty. source
• Sun 8:24 AM MYT — Lewis Hamilton qualified second at Sepang, 0.298s behind Max Verstappen’s pole; he was 0.166s up after two sectors and lost 0.464s in the last sector. source
• Sun 5:25 AM MYT — Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, 1:35.666 (+0.536), which puts him fourth on the grid after Hadjar’s drop. source
• Sun 5:25 AM MYT — Saturday detail: Antonelli topped FP3 in 1:36.302; Verstappen’s pole was 1:35.130, Hamilton +0.298; Hadjar qualified P3, takes a five-place penalty for a seventh ICE, and starts P8, so Antonelli starts P3. source
• Sun 5:25 AM MYT — Verstappen took his first pole of 2026 at Sepang, with Lewis Hamilton second for Ferrari. source
• Sun 2:25 AM MYT — - **13:30 UTC** — Ferrari: one more night until race day in Malaysia. source
• Sun 2:25 AM MYT — - **12:30 UTC** — Ferrari: qualifying is done and the team is set for Sunday. source
• Sun 2:25 AM MYT — - **14:00 UTC** — Ferrari quoted Hamilton: the pre-qualifying setup changes helped, and he will start on the front row at Sepang. source
• Sat 11:25 PM MYT — Formula 1: Hamilton was pumped after qualifying — source
• Sat 11:25 PM MYT — X news recap: Verstappen’s pole lap was 1:35.130; Hamilton was 0.298s back in P2, Kimi Antonelli P3, Charles Leclerc P4, Lando Norris P5 — source
• Sat 11:25 PM MYT — Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton is on the front row — source
• Sat 8:24 PM MYT — - The team called Hamilton’s result a front row. source
• Sat 8:24 PM MYT — - Lewis Hamilton locked in a P2 start for the Bahrain Grand Prix. source
• Sat 8:24 PM MYT — - Charles Leclerc will line up P4 for lights out. source
• Sat 5:24 PM MYT — - **Charles Leclerc is P5, +0.536**, in matching classification posts (the team’s own text did not state his final place). source
• Sat 5:24 PM MYT — - **BBC Sport: Max Verstappen took pole (1:35.130) ahead of Hamilton; Isack Hadjar qualified P3 and drops to P8 with a five-place grid penalty.** source
• Sat 5:24 PM MYT — - **Lewis Hamilton will start P2**; Scuderia Ferrari confirmed the front-row slot for the Bahrain Grand Prix. source
• Sat 2:30 PM MYT — FP3 done. Leclerc 5th, Hamilton 6th — behind Antonelli, Verstappen, Hadjar and Russell. Work to do before qualifying at 4:00 PM MYT. source
• Sat 2:00 PM MYT — Leclerc's first FP3 run went straight to the top, and a late red flag for debris came just as he pitted from 3rd. Hamilton was held up by a slow Lindblad on a push lap. source
• Sat 11:30 AM MYT — Qualifying day. FP3 runs 12:30 PM, qualifying 4:00 PM MYT. Leclerc topped FP2 at 1:37.528 with Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren covered by just 0.371s — the Scuderia is genuinely in the fight at the front.
• Sat 10:00 AM MYT — Hamilton cleared, Ferrari fined. The stewards investigated Hamilton's FP2 impeding of Bortoleto and issued a warning only — no grid penalty. But the team was fined €10,000 for running with a broken mirror and giving Hamilton no radio warning. Costly Friday for the pit wall.
• Sat 9:00 AM MYT — Weather watch. MetMalaysia has thunderstorm warnings out this morning and models give qualifying a real storm risk (18–50%). A wet qualifying would shuffle the grid — Ferrari's dry pace suggests they'd rather it stayed dry.
• Fri 6:00 PM MYT — Friday debrief. Leclerc's FP2 headline time came on a day both sessions stayed dry. The three-team fight at the front is real, and with Sunday's FIA Heat Hazard declaration (heat index above 31°C, mandatory driver cooling), tyre management on Sepang's rough surface could decide the race.

Featured essay

FEATURE ESSAY

Build What You Feel: The 75-Year Rule That Runs Ferrari

Ferrari's CEO said it out loud: the company builds what the driver can feel and partners for everything else. Seventy-five years of evidence, from Maranello to the Elettrica. →

The drivers

Charles Leclerc — topped FP2 at 1:37.528 and has looked comfortable all weekend. If qualifying stays dry, he's a genuine pole threat.

Lewis Hamilton — survived the Bortoleto impeding investigation with a warning, but the €10,000 team fine for the broken mirror will sting. Needs a clean Saturday to convert Ferrari's pace into grid position.

Why Ferrari matters this weekend

Three teams — Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren — finished Friday within 0.371 seconds. Nobody has broken away, and on Sepang's rough, heat-baked surface, Sunday is shaping into a tyre-management race where strategy can beat raw pace.

Ferrari's Friday looked like a team with a car that works here. The question for qualifying: can they turn single-lap pace into a front-row lockout while Red Bull and McLaren hunt them down?

The pit-wall subplot is real too. Friday's €10,000 fine was for an operational failure — broken mirror, no radio warning. In a weekend this tight, operational sharpness is pace.

What this beat is

This page is a pilot: one team, followed start to finish through the weekend — session results, paddock news, driver updates and fan pulse, all in one place. It's the template for full team-beat coverage at future races.

The beat carries into Singapore (Oct 9–11) with the same team, learning as it goes — and the goal is a full pit lane of beats by Vegas (Nov 19–21).

Spotted something the beat missed? The fastest way to reach the desk is the Live from Sepang WhatsApp channel.