F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Results: Max Verstappen secured his first Grand Prix win of the 2026 season by taking victory in a highly dramatic race at the Sepang International Circuit. The Bahrain Grand Prix was shifted to the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the race gave fans full-on chaos after a rain delay.
Verstappen beat Kimi Antonelli by 2.3 seconds, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton secured third position with a brilliant recovery drive after a difficult opening lap. Charles Leclerc finished fourth, while Isaac Hadjer finished fifth.
Join Our Youtube Channel to stay updated with daily Indian car & bike news instantly!
Heavy rain before the race delayed the starting procedure. Conditions around the formation lap were so tricky that some cars encountered technical problems. The race eventually began with mixed tire strategies, with some drivers on intermediates and others taking to the grid with a gamble on slick tires.
Also Read: F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia LIVE: Race Updates, Results and Highlights
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Results: Verstappen Ends Win Drought
Max Verstappen delivered another impressive performance in Sepang. Starting from pole position, the Red Bull driver faced strong challenges from Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in the opening stage, but Verstappen used his speed advantage after the race restart.
Antonelli took the lead in the early stages, while Russell was also at the front with Mercedes’ strong pace. Verstappen quickly passed Russell and began applying pressure on Antonelli.
On the restart after the Safety Car, Verstappen made a decisive move at the Turn 1-2 complex and regained the lead. The Red Bull driver then began to build a gap and by the middle phase of the race, he had a lead of over eight seconds.
This victory is particularly significant for Verstappen as it is his first Grand Prix win of the 2026 season. Sepang has also been a special circuit for him, where he won the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017.
Lewis Hamilton’s Brilliant Recovery Gives Ferrari Podium
The start of the race was not exactly ideal for Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver faced a difficult tire strategy decision and was relegated to a very low position in midfield in the early stages.
However, Hamilton made a remarkable comeback as the race progressed. Despite questions about Ferrari’s tire strategy, Hamilton maintained a strong pace on older soft tires and had moved up to fifth position by Lap 28.
In the final stages, Hamilton targeted Isaac Hadjar. With a fresh tire advantage and strong pace, Hamilton overtook the Red Bull driver and secured third position.
With this result, Hamilton converted a difficult-looking race into a podium finish. Charles Leclerc also completed a strong points haul for Ferrari with a fourth-place finish.
Kimi Antonelli Finishes Second
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli secured second place for Mercedes. The Italian driver had maintained the lead in the opening stages of the race, but Verstappen’s pace eventually proved too much for Mercedes.
Antonelli remained within a two-second gap of Verstappen in the final stages of the race, but the Red Bull driver never had the opportunity to seriously challenge him. Verstappen maintained his advantage after the final restart and defended his lead until the checkered flag.
Antonelli’s P2 finish is significant from a championship perspective, especially considering George Russell’s late retirement.
George Russell’s Late Retirement Changes Championship Picture
The race’s ending was extremely disappointing for Mercedes’ George Russell. Russell was part of a front-running battle in the early stages of the race and at one point was running a Mercedes 1-2 with Antonelli.
However, Russell’s car stopped on track during a late-race Safety Car period. The team reported a suspected power unit failure, which prevented Russell from completing the race. His retirement was classified six laps behind.
Russell’s DNF is a major setback for the championship fight. Even before the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, he was one of Antonelli’s closest challengers in the title contention. In the standings available after the race, Antonelli leads with 320 points, while Russell is on 236.
Ferrari and McLaren Battle Continues
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, while Isaac Hadjar finished fifth. Oscar Piastri finished sixth, and Liam Lawson secured seventh place for Racing Bulls.
Fernando Alonso secured eighth place for Aston Martin, while Lando Norris finished ninth. Norris attempted to pass Alonso on the final lap, but the Aston Martin driver successfully defended his position.
Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10, giving Racing Bulls another points-scoring result.
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Results – Full Classification
| 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 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi |
| 12 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 15 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 17 | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 18 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
| 19 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac |
| 20 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 21 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 22 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac |
Final classification and gaps have been cross-checked against the published Bahrain GP in Malaysia results.
Rain and Safety Car Made the Race Unpredictable
Sepang’s unpredictable weather further complicated the race. Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start and temporarily suspended the starting procedure.
After the race restart, mixed tire choices dramatically split the field. Some drivers were on intermediates, while others gambled with slick tires. Hamilton was also heavily compromised by his initial tire strategy, but his pace later in the race took Ferrari to the podium.
Late in the race, the Safety Car once again bunched up the field. Russell’s retirement around this time due to a suspected power unit failure further increased the pressure of the race for Mercedes.
F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Results: What It Means
Max Verstappen’s victory has made the 2026 championship picture interesting. The Red Bull driver secured his first win of the season, while Antonelli further strengthened his championship lead with a second-place finish.
Hamilton’s podium is a positive result for Ferrari, especially considering their difficult situation in the race’s opening stage. Leclerc’s fourth-place finish also strengthens Ferrari’s points haul.
But the biggest talking point was George Russell’s DNF. The Mercedes driver was heading for a strong points finish, but a suspected power unit problem ended his race. This directly benefited Antonelli in the championship fight.
Auto India Daily Verdict
The F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia was not a normal Grand Prix at all. Heavy rain delays, mixed tire strategies, early technical drama, Safety Car interruptions, and a late Mercedes failure made the race unpredictable.
Verstappen showed his class under pressure and secured his first win of the season, while Hamilton delivered one of the strongest recovery drives of the race after Ferrari’s difficult opening stage. Antonelli’s P2 and Russell’s DNF were the most important outcomes of the weekend for the championship battle.
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.