F1 Stock Watch: Who Has More to Lose at Sepang?

The Formula 1 Stock Watch is back for the second straight weekend, and we're keeping tabs on these few select names in the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The British driver put on a show in the streets of Baku, completing a perfect weekend of leading the practice sessions, qualifying on pole, and winning the race. But Russell is still threading a fine line between complacency and pressure. After all, he's still trailing teammate Kimi Antonelli by 66 points in the championship. 

Plus, Russell has to be wary of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and McLaren's Lando Norris from behind, who are out to snatch P2 in the Drivers' Standings.

Piastri had every opportunity to take advantage of his teammate's mishap at Baku, but the Australian driver unfortunately settled for a P13 finish. Piastri locked up and spun on Lap 40, as he saw a potential podium finish slip through his hands.

It's safe to say that Piastri must do better than his P13 finish in the Azerbaijan GP.

Colapinto found himself in hot water after his brave overtake attempt went awry at Baku. He locked up and hit teammate Pierre Gasly, resulting in a no-points finish for Alpine. The Argentine driver must be more efficient this time around, especially with the Racing Bulls increasing their midfield lead from 9 to 15 points after Baku.

Oh, the curse of a Formula 1 team principal. When the team's performance, including that of the car, spirals downward, the buck will always stop at the one in the helm.

Ferrari did publicly back Vasseur amidst replacement rumors, but the Italian team principal needs his drivers and crew to deliver a strong weekend at Sepang.

Antonelli did some good damage control last weekend, storming his way back from P16 to a P5 finish. Even in his worst weekend in the last six races, the Italian driver managed to score double-digit points.

Now, he needs to get back to the groove that saw him score back-to-back wins at Monza and Madrid.

Ocon recently confirmed that he'll leave Haas at the end of the 2026 season. It's a sad but expected development, with rumors saying that Haas is set on signing Formula 2 driver Rafael Camara for 2027.

But Ocon virtually has nothing to lose now, and he'll be driving freely in the remaining races on the calendar. The Haas car has seen steady improvements recently, presenting Ocon an opportunity to deliver a strong race at Malaysia.

The Mad Max train keeps on chugging along. He finished ever so close to a win at Baku, extending his podium finishes to six in the last eight races. 

Don't be surprised if Verstappen, who won the last race at Sepang in 2017, stands on the top step of the podium on Sunday.