Strategy

Verstappen wins the rain-hit 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia

Answer

Confirmed

Max Verstappen took his and Red Bull's first win of 2026 in a rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix held at Sepang in Malaysia, holding Kimi Antonelli off by 2.307 seconds. Antonelli's second place extended his championship lead to 84 points, and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium for Ferrari, while George Russell retired late with a power-unit failure.

Verstappen ends Red Bull's win drought

Max Verstappen converted his first Red Bull pole of the 2026 season into the team's first win of the year at a rain-hit Bahrain Grand Prix held at Sepang in Malaysia.^[1]^[2] He crossed the line 2.307 seconds clear of championship leader Kimi Antonelli, with Lewis Hamilton third for Ferrari a further 2.6 seconds back.^[1]

How the race unfolded

Heavy rain before the start delayed proceedings, and the race ran for more than three hours from first flag to last.^[1] Verstappen dropped behind the Mercedes pair of Antonelli and George Russell off the line, but a strategy weighted towards the soft tyre let him retake the lead and then control the gap to Antonelli to the flag.^[1] Russell, running inside the podium fight, retired late with a power-unit failure.^[1]

The order behind the podium

Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari, with Isack Hadjar fifth on his return to the Red Bull seat. Oscar Piastri was sixth, while Lando Norris could manage only ninth from fifth on the grid. Arvid Lindblad produced the recovery of the day, climbing from 22nd on the grid to tenth at the flag.^[3]

Championship impact

Antonelli's second place stretched his advantage at the top of the drivers' standings to 84 points, leaving him firmly in control as the season enters its final third.^[1] Hamilton's podium was a timely lift for Ferrari after a quieter run of weekends.^[1]