SEPANG — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen triumphed in a chaotic, rain-affected Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, securing his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Formula 1’s return to Malaysia after a nine-year absence delivered an unpredictable wet-weather spectacle, marked by a lengthy race-start delay, formation lap drama, botched tyre strategies, and multiple Safety Car interventions. Verstappen navigated the treacherous conditions to finish ahead of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton produced a stunning recovery drive from the back of the grid to claim the final step of the podium for Ferrari.
The race-day proceedings were heavily disrupted even before the start, as torrential downpours, thunder, and lightning swept across the circuit, forcing a 40-minute delay to the scheduled start time. Once cars were finally released for formation laps, conditions caught out several teams on the grid. Ferrari and McLaren gambled by starting on slick tyres on a drying yet treacherous track, a decision that immediately backfired and plunged Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc toward the back of the field, more than a minute behind the leaders who opted for intermediate compounds.
Despite losing his pole position advantage at the chaotic start, Verstappen fought back aggressively to reclaim the lead, building a comfortable advantage over the rest of the field. A timely Safety Car on lap nine closed up the pack, allowing Hamilton to capitalize on blistering race pace as the track continued to evolve. While Leclerc pitted early to cut his losses, Hamilton urged the Ferrari pit wall to keep him out on track, a strategic gamble that paid dividends as he sliced through the order during the second half of the race.
Late-race drama struck Mercedes when George Russell, running securely in third position with just five laps remaining, suffered a suspected power-unit failure during the second Safety Car deployment. Russell’s retirement handed a major blow to his championship aspirations, widening his deficit to title leader Antonelli to 84 points with only seven rounds remaining. Verstappen executed a flawless restart following the final caution period to secure his 72nd career victory, crossing the line ahead of Antonelli.
Hamilton completed his remarkable comeback by overtaking Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in the closing stages to secure third, ending Ferrari’s five-race podium drought, with Leclerc following closely behind in fourth. Oscar Piastri finished sixth for McLaren, while Liam Lawson delivered a strong points finish in seventh for Racing Bulls ahead of Fernando Alonso, who claimed a season-best eighth for Aston Martin. The turbulent afternoon underscored the unpredictable nature of F1’s long-awaited return to Sepang as the championship heads directly to Singapore for the next round.
