Max Verstappen won Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, converting pole position into his and Red Bull Racing’s first Formula 1 victory of 2026 after a rain delay, an aborted start procedure and a software bug disrupted the event at Sepang International Circuit.
Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes, 2.307 seconds behind, while Lewis Hamilton recovered from an unsuccessful slick-tire gamble to take third for Ferrari. George Russell retired from third place after a late power-unit failure, increasing Antonelli’s championship lead to 84 points.
Verstappen recovers from a difficult start
Verstappen completed 55 laps in 1:47:14.808 to score 25 points in round 16 of the championship. The Dutch driver had started from pole but lost positions to Antonelli and Russell on the run to Turn 1 after the race eventually began in mixed conditions.
All three started on intermediate tires. Verstappen recovered by passing the Mercedes drivers on either side of the first Safety Car period, which followed Valtteri Bottas’ race-ending spin. He then established a lead of more than 10 seconds over Antonelli before a later Safety Car erased the advantage.
The race resumed for a short run to the finish, and Verstappen retained the lead. Antonelli crossed the line second, with Hamilton 4.919 seconds behind the winner.
The victory was Verstappen’s first since the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the 72nd of his Formula 1 career, according to Sky Sports. It was also the first Formula 1 win for Red Bull Ford Powertrains.
Rain delay becomes a software intermission
Heavy rain before the scheduled start left standing water around Sepang and prompted Race Control to delay the formation lap. When the field was finally released behind the Safety Car, Formula 1’s advanced racing machinery discovered it had apparently arrived without completing its updates.
Verstappen reported that he could not accelerate, while Hamilton told Ferrari that pressing the throttle produced no response. Hamilton stopped before eventually restarting, and cars using Ferrari power units also encountered problems.
The start procedure was suspended and the field returned to the pit lane. Sky Sports reported that the teams applied engine software changes issued by the FIA, which described the glitch as “unprecedented.” A sport capable of designing cars around all-new power units therefore spent part of its Sunday waiting for the automotive equivalent of a laptop restart.
The Race reported that a software bug caused the disruption that forced the start attempt to be aborted. The delays helped push the conclusion of the event beyond three hours after the original start process began, although the official race time covered 1:47:14.808.
Ferrari recovers from slick-tire gamble
Ferrari started Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on soft slick tires while the track remained wet. The decision sent both drivers down the order as cars on intermediates found substantially more grip.
Hamilton, who had started second, dropped to 18th. He stayed on the soft tires as the circuit dried rather than making an additional stop for intermediates, and the first Safety Car brought the field back together. He then climbed through the order and passed Isack Hadjar after the final restart to secure third.
Leclerc’s recovery included an early stop after contact left him at the rear of the field. He also passed Hadjar late in the race and finished fourth, 7.258 seconds behind Verstappen. Hadjar took fifth to complete Red Bull’s double points finish.
Ferrari scored 27 points through Hamilton and Leclerc, but Mercedes remained comfortably ahead in the constructors’ standings with 556 points. Ferrari has 405 and McLaren 316.
Russell retirement changes title picture
Russell passed Antonelli early and was positioned to finish third before Antonelli regained second. Russell remained on course for a podium until his car stopped on the start-finish straight during the late Safety Car period with five laps remaining.
The retirement was attributed to a power-unit failure. It left Russell without points and widened the championship gap after he had won the previous round in Azerbaijan.
Antonelli now leads the drivers’ standings with 320 points. Russell is second on 236, while Hamilton holds third with 214 and Leclerc is fourth on 191. Lando Norris and Verstappen are tied on 188 points, with Norris listed fifth and Verstappen sixth.
Seven rounds remain in the 2026 season.
McLaren loses ground in late confusion
McLaren also chose slick tires at the start. Oscar Piastri switched to intermediates after the opening lap, while Norris continued on his original tires as the track began to dry.
Piastri recovered to sixth. Norris was running behind his teammate during the late Safety Car period but went through the gravel at Turn 1 as the cars ahead slowed following Russell’s retirement. He finished ninth and later received a reprimand for erratic driving under Safety Car conditions.
Liam Lawson placed seventh for Racing Bulls, followed by Fernando Alonso in eighth. Alonso’s result was his best of the season and raised his total to seven points. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad claimed the final point in 10th.
Points finishers and retirements
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
2. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, +2.307 seconds
3. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, +4.919 seconds
4. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, +7.258 seconds
5. Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, +8.571 seconds
6. Oscar Piastri, McLaren, +9.454 seconds
7. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, +12.753 seconds
8. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, +13.372 seconds
9. Lando Norris, McLaren, +13.993 seconds
10. Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, +15.928 seconds
Nico Hulkenberg finished 11th ahead of Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz and Gabriel Bortoleto. Sergio Perez was the final finisher in 19th, while Russell, Bottas and Alex Albon retired.
Formula 1 next travels to the Singapore Grand Prix from October 9 to 11. Before then, the FIA’s handling of the Sepang software failure remains an immediate issue after a start delay required the 2026 field to receive digital maintenance before it could go racing.
