Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2026 season and for Red Bull at the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia on Sunday. The race, delayed and disrupted by heavy rain, featured a strategic switch from intermediate tires to slicks and numerous overtakes throughout the event.
Starting from pole position, Verstappen was initially overtaken by Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, both on intermediate tires, before regaining the lead following a Safety Car period triggered by Valtteri Bottas’s off-track excursion. This phase allowed drivers on intermediates to switch to slicks, while those who started on slicks were disadvantaged.
Verstappen then controlled the race, extending his lead over Antonelli and Russell, who battled for second place. However, Russell was forced to retire on the start/finish straight behind a final Safety Car, seriously jeopardizing his championship hopes.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, who started on slick tires, had a challenging start but made impressive recoveries to finish third and fourth respectively, delivering a strong points haul for Ferrari. Isack Hadjar finished fifth, followed by Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, and Fernando Alonso.
Lando Norris, close to his teammate Piastri, lost control of his McLaren behind the Safety Car and finished ninth, ahead of rookie Arvid Lindblad. Nico Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on points, finishing eleventh.