Verstappen wins chaotic rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Verstappen overcame rain delays and a late Russell retirement as Antonelli took second and Hamilton finished third in a race marked by multiple safety cars.
- On Saturday, Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed his first pole position of the 2026 season for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, beating Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton by three tenths of a second.
- Sunday's rearranged Bahrain Grand Prix takes place in Malaysia due to conflict in the Middle East, where Red Bull's straight-line speed advantage allowed Verstappen to establish himself as the benchmark as early as Friday.
- Red Bull's Isack Hadjar qualified third but faces a five-place grid penalty for exceeding power unit allocation, while Mercedes driver George Russell qualified eighth, trailing teammate Kimi Antonelli by eight tenths.
- "We have been trying to get pole and to finally get it is pretty incredible," Verstappen said. Hamilton noted that "lots of drivers at the front can't compete with Alonso talent."
- Alpine driver Franco Colapinto will start from the back of the grid after receiving an additional penalty for changing his power unit, as Verstappen seeks his first victory of the 2026 campaign on Sunday.
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Max Verstappen washes away frustrations with win at Bahrain Grand Prix
BAHRAIN: Max Verstappen flushed away at least some of his seasonlong frustrations Sunday by winning the rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The four-time Formula 1 drivers’ champion earned his first win of 2026 and the 72nd of his decorated career when he waited out a 1-hour, 33-minute delay at the outset and then held off current drivers’ standings leader Kimi Antonelli at the finish. George Russell, who was still alive with an outsi…
This is Verstappen's first victory in 2026, and the result confirms the improvement of the Red Bulls in the last races.
Max Verstappen has finally secured his first victory of the year. The Dutchman won a chaotic race in Malaysia on Sunday, where rain, delays, and strategic errors provided plenty of spectacle. Kimi Antonelli finished second, while Lewis Hamilton surprisingly completed the podium. Who...
Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen has won the race in Malaysia.
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