{
  "id": 11624585,
  "title": "Antonelli finds his rhythm to top final Sepang practice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/antonelli-finds-his-rhythm-to-top-final-sepang-practice-11624585",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T06:25:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/motor-sports/2026/10/1546771/antonelli-finds-his-rhythm-top-final-sepang-practice"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit hosted the final Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix practice session on Saturday, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli emerging as the fastest driver in the session. Just a day after finishing eighth in Friday's FP2, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver clocked 1 minute 36.302 seconds on soft tyres, marking significant improvement. Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen came in second, while his teammate Isaac Hadjar was third, about half a second slower than Antonelli. Mercedes teammate George Russell, currently trailing by 66 points in the standings, secured fourth place, over six-tenths of a second behind Antonelli but ahead of Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. McLaren's reigning world champion Lando Norris and his team mate Oscar Piastri completed the top 10 on medium tyres. The session was briefly halted due to debris from Haas driver Oliver Bearman's front-right tyre, which had become entangled in the circuit. The race in Malaysia was moved to accommodate conflict in the Middle East.",
  "summary": "SEPANG: Championship leader Kimi Antonelli topped the final practice session for the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Saturday after the Mercedes driver finally found his rhythm at the Sepang International Circuit.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Antonelli finds his rhythm to top final Sepang practice",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/antonelli-finds-his-rhythm-to-top-final-sepang-practice",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:09:36.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Antonelli finds his rhythm to top final Sepang practice",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/antonelli-finds-his-rhythm-to-top-final-sepang-practice-11624827",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:10:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "From eighth to fastest: Kimi Antonelli finds his Sepang rhythm ahead of Bahrain GP qualifying",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/from-eighth-to-fastest-kimi-antonelli-finds-his-sepang-rhythm-ahead",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:23:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SABC News",
        "title": "Antonelli finds his rhythm to top final Sepang practice",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/antonelli-finds-his-rhythm-to-top-final-sepang-practice-11630143",
        "published": "2026-10-03T07:02:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Verstappen takes first 2026 pole ahead of Hamilton",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/verstappen-takes-first-2026-pole-ahead-of-hamilton",
        "published": "2026-10-03T09:40:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}