Mercedes put team first as Russell and Antonelli face off on F1’s return to Sepang

Title rivals bring upgrades to first Grand Prix in Malaysia since 2017 on a demanding but well liked circuit While the byzantine nomenclature of this weekend’s “Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia” will have Formula One’s statisticians muttering darkly under their breath for years to come, the import of the sport’s return to the Sepang circuit remains all too straightforward at the sharp end.

Complicated only perhaps by a Red Bull resurgence and an enthused Max Verstappen, determined to make his mark on the championship…