2026 Formula 1: Max Verstappen Ends Long F1 Wait With Bahrain GP Win In Malaysia

Max Verstappen has claimed his first Formula 1 victory since 2023 after a chaotic Bahrain GP at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on Sunday. The race had been relocated from Bahrain to Sepang for 2026, though that did not stop Verstappen from achieving the result Red Bull were looking for. The four-time world champion started at pole before bouncing back from a tricky start to the race, overtaking Kimi Antonelli and maintaining race control through varying weather conditions. Antonelli would end his race in second with Mercedes, and Lewis Hamilton would round up the podium for Ferrari after an early race setback.

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Verstappen holds off Antonelli at Sepang

Max Verstappen began the race from pole position after recording a 1:35.130 in qualifying, his first pole position of the 2026 season. Hamilton lined up second, followed by Antonelli, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar originally qualified third but dropped to eighth because of a five-place grid penalty. The race was a very different story for Verstappen. Due to torrential rain and deep puddles, the scheduled start was delayed by 93 minutes. The formation lap took place, but the lights remained off after multiple cars struggled on the treacherous track. The race later got started under way on a wet circuit, creating an immediate challenge for the drivers and teams.

Verstappen dropped back in the early stages but regained his rhythm and ultimately fought his way through the pack to re-join the lead battle. The Dutchman managed his race well after making a pass on Antonelli after a Safety Car restart. From there, he managed the race effectively and crossed the finish line after 55 laps, 2.307 seconds ahead of Antonelli.

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George Russell had been Antonelli's main rival in the championship after his win at the Azerbaijan GP and bringing his teammate's lead down to 66 points. His hopes of fighting back in the Bahrain GP were dashed when his Mercedes ran out of fuel with five laps to go.

The retirement was a big blow to Russell's chance of winning the championship. With Antonelli coming second, he reestablished his 84-point lead over Russell heading into the last seven rounds of the season. The result also keeps the championship battle firmly centred on the Mercedes drivers, despite Verstappen’s victory giving Red Bull an important result at a crucial stage of the campaign.

2026 Formula 1: Hamilton completes remarkable recovery

Hamilton’s third-place finish was one of the other major talking points from the race. The Ferrari driver started from the front row but dropped as far as 18th after Ferrari’s early tyre strategy failed to work in the changing conditions. Hamilton switched to the slick tyre while still some parts of the circuit remained wet. This did leave Hamilton with a handling disadvantage. Hamilton managed to drag his car through the grid to a good finishing position as the track dried and the race settled into a rhythm. The seven-time world champion eventually passed Hadjar late in the race to take third. Leclerc finished fourth, followed by Hadjar, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris and Arvid Lindblad in the top 10.

2026 Formula 1: Red Bull Ford Powertrains claim first F1 win

For Red Bull, Verstappen's win was more than just the championship points. It was the first Formula 1 win for the new Red Bull Ford Powertrains partnership. The result finally brought an end to Verstappen's victory drought since the last race of the previous season. Red Bull had been lacking consistency at the beginning of 2026, but the recent upgrades had provided Verstappen with a more competitive car.

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Sepang has also been a happy hunting ground for the Dutchman. He won the last Malaysian Grand Prix held there in 2017, and he was victorious again when he returned to the circuit. The Bahrain Grand Prix was the first of the final seven races to be held in 2026. Formula 1 now heads to Singapore for the next race on 11th October, where Antonelli has a large championship lead, and Verstappen aims to extend Red Bull's remarkable result.

Editor - Mandeep Rawat

Mandeep Rawat is the Director & Editor at sportselite.in, bringing a genuine interest in Sports and the stories behind every contest. His approach to Elite Sports focuses on clear reporting, meaningful context, and the details that matter to fans. At sportselite.in, Mandeep works to keep coverage informative, engaging and easy to follow, covering the people, performances, rivalries and moments that give Sports their character.

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