The F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Qualifying Results are out, with Max Verstappen taking pole position for the race at the Sepang International Circuit. The Red Bull driver set a fastest Q3 lap of 1:35.130 to secure the top spot, while Lewis Hamilton qualified second for Ferrari, 0.298 seconds behind Verstappen.
Isack Hadjar completed the top three for Red Bull, but his qualifying position comes with an important caveat. The French driver has a five-place grid penalty for a new internal combustion engine, meaning his starting position for Sunday’s race will be lower than his P3 qualifying classification. Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth for Mercedes and is therefore set to move up the starting order.
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The qualifying session marked Formula 1’s return to the Sepang International Circuit, with the Bahrain Grand Prix being held in Malaysia this weekend. The change of venue has created a unique F1 weekend, but the qualifying battle still produced a familiar fight between Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Also Read: F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Qualifying LIVE: Latest Updates, Results & Pole Position
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Qualifying Results: Verstappen Leads Hamilton
Max Verstappen delivered when it mattered in Q3. His final qualifying lap of 1:35.130 put him 0.298 seconds clear of Lewis Hamilton and gave Red Bull the top spot on the qualifying classification. This is Verstappen’s first pole position of the 2026 F1 season.
Hamilton produced a strong final run to move into second and secure a place on the front row for Ferrari. The result gives Hamilton a strong qualifying position ahead of Sunday’s race, while Verstappen will start from pole unless any post-qualifying changes are made.
Hadjar finished third with a gap of 0.428 seconds to Verstappen. However, his five-place grid penalty means the final starting grid will look different from the qualifying classification. Antonelli, who qualified fourth, is set to benefit from Hadjar’s penalty and move up the starting order.
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Qualifying Results: Top 10
| Position | Driver | Team | Lap Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:35.130 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.298s |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | +0.428s |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.501s |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.536s |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.627s |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.632s |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.741s |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +2.080s |
| 10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +2.543s |
The top 10 qualifying positions were separated by less than a second from pole through George Russell in eighth. Charles Leclerc was fifth, only 0.035 seconds behind Antonelli, while the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were separated by just 0.005 seconds.
Pierre Gasly produced a strong qualifying performance for Alpine to take ninth, while Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top 10 for Audi. Both drivers progressed into Q3 and secured positions inside the first five rows of the qualifying classification.
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Qualifying Results: P11 to P22
| Position | Driver | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | Q2 |
| 12 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Q2 |
| 13 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | Q2 |
| 14 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | Q2 |
| 15 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | Q2 |
| 16 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | Q2 |
| 17 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | Q1 |
| 18 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | Q1 |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | Q1 |
| 20 | Alex Albon | Williams | Q1 |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | Q1 |
| 22 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | Q1 |
Liam Lawson narrowly missed out on Q3 and finished 11th, followed by Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll. Interestingly, both Aston Martin drivers progressed out of Q1 for the first time this season, with Alonso eventually qualifying 12th and Stroll 14th.
Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad completed the Q2 eliminations in 15th and 16th respectively. Lindblad also has a grid penalty, which will affect his starting position on Sunday.
Q1 eliminations included Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Hadjar Penalty Changes the Starting Grid
Although the F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Qualifying Results show Hadjar in third, his five-place grid penalty means the qualifying order should not be treated as the final race starting order. The penalty was issued after Red Bull fitted a new internal combustion engine to his car.
As a result, Antonelli is set to move up from fourth to third on the starting grid. Other drivers behind Hadjar will also gain positions once the penalties are applied. The final starting grid should therefore be checked against the official FIA classification before the race.
What Happens Next?
With qualifying now complete, attention turns to the F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia race at Sepang. Max Verstappen will start from pole in the qualifying classification, with Lewis Hamilton alongside him on the front row. Hadjar’s penalty will shuffle the positions behind them.
The main race is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, with the Sepang weekend continuing Formula 1’s unusual Bahrain GP in Malaysia format.
Auto India Daily Verdict
Max Verstappen’s pole gives Red Bull the top qualifying position at Sepang, while Lewis Hamilton’s P2 puts Ferrari on the front row. The biggest grid-order change will come from Isack Hadjar’s five-place penalty, which promotes Kimi Antonelli and moves the drivers behind him forward on the starting grid.
Also Read: 2026 F1 Azerbaijan GP Results: George Russell Wins Baku Thriller, Verstappen P2
Raj Prajapati is a Senior Automotive Content Writer at AutoIndiaDaily. A B.Tech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering, he leverages over four years of experience covering Indian car and bike launches, EV tech, and market dynamics to break down complex automotive regulations into simple consumer guides. Specialising in Indian motor vehicle laws, IRDAI updates, and ownership costs, Raj translates technical auto policies into actionable advice for everyday drivers.