It is wild to think Formula 1 is back at Sepang after about a decade away, and yet the talk of the entire paddock was entirely focused on Ferrari. That said, the spotlight was not initially on a stunning machine on track, but rather on the future of Team Principal Fred Vasseur.
Here's the thing: Vasseur has faced fierce speculation over recent weeks as the squad endured a difficult run of five Grands Prix without a podium. But the team stepped in to back the Frenchman earlier in the week, and the drivers quickly followed suit on Thursday.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc strongly voiced their support for the Team Principal. When your drivers publicly throw their weight behind leadership ahead of a race weekend like the Bahrain Grand Prix, it sends a clear message about unity inside the garage. Now, we wait to see if that solidarity translates into pace when the sessions get underway.
