Max Verstappen won from pole for Red Bull after a delayed start in heavy rain at Sepang, the first win for a Ford-powered car since 2003.
Starting from pole, Red Bull's Max Verstappen took the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang in Malaysia. The race began 93 minutes late because of heavy rain and technical problems, and Kimi Antonelli was second for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton third for Ferrari.
Max Verstappen won the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix on 4 October at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, starting from pole position for Red Bull. The race was moved from Bahrain after the April round was removed from the schedule when the 2026 Iran war broke out. Bahrain kept control of ticket pricing and the proceeds from the race,.
It was Verstappen's first win of the season and his 72nd in Formula One. This was Red Bull Ford's first win as an engine supplier, and no Ford-powered car had won since the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes, and Lewis Hamilton took third for Ferrari, a podium he had not reached since the British Grand Prix.
A delayed and suspended start
Heavy rain fell before the scheduled 15:00 start, leaving standing water on the track and pushing the start back to 15:40. Technical problems in the starting procedure caused a further delay. After two formation laps behind the safety car, a red flag halted the procedure and no racing start took place.
The FIA said the original grid order would stand. Bradley Lord, Mercedes deputy team principal, said the FIA had given teams revised software parameters during the interruption. The field left the pit lane at 16:33 behind the safety car, 93 minutes late. The race was reduced from 56 to 55 laps.
The race
Nine drivers chose intermediate tyres as the field left the pit lane, and the other thirteen ran slicks. Pierre Gasly spun on the opening lap behind the safety car. Charles Leclerc damaged his front wing in contact with Nico Hulkenberg and pitted for a replacement and intermediates.
Antonelli and George Russell, both for Mercedes, passed Verstappen for first and second after the standing start, and Verstappen held off Liam Lawson for third. Lewis Hamilton stayed out on his original softs even though Ferrari had suggested a stop, and he dropped to 18th, more than a minute off the lead. Racing resumed on lap 13 after a safety car period, when Verstappen passed Antonelli at turn 1.
Hamilton climbed from 16th to fifth in the ten laps after the restart, passing Piastri, Lindblad, Ocon and Lawson on the way. Verstappen had pulled more than ten seconds clear before the next interruption, and Russell gave up third place to a power-unit failure in the closing safety car period. Hamilton got past Isack Hadjar at the first corner on lap 53 to reach third, and Leclerc followed him through on the next lap.
Result
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 7 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 9 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 10 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
Russell was classified 20th after completing 49 laps.
Qualifying and the championship
Verstappen claimed pole, his first of the season and 49th overall. It was also the first pole of the year for a car with an engine from another supplier. Hamilton qualified second, with Hadjar third before his grid penalty.
Antonelli's lead over Russell in the drivers' standings widened from 66 points to 84, and seven rounds remain. Before the race he led with 302 points. Mercedes led the constructors' standings with 538 points, ahead of Ferrari on 378 and McLaren on 306.
Stewards
The stewards called Albon in regarding his driving at the pit entry, Hulkenberg over an alleged unsafe release, and Norris over his conduct behind the safety car.
