Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of 2026 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, marking a dramatic turnaround from calling his Red Bull car 'made of paper' less than a month ago at Monza. The four-time world champion dominated qualifying at Sepang, beating the field by nearly three-tenths of a second after struggling to sixth place in Italian qualifying.
Verstappen credited both technical improvements and better car setup work for Red Bull's resurgence, noting the team has made good steps with upgrades introduced at Baku. He believes the Malaysian heat may favor Red Bull's car characteristics, though emphasized the team's technical progress led by Pierre Wache has been the primary factor in their improved performance.
The Baku upgrade package delivered what was expected internally and made both Red Bull drivers feel more comfortable behind the wheel. Verstappen explained the car now responds more predictably to steering inputs, contrasting with earlier in the season when turning the wheel would cause strange behavior that frustrated his driving.
Despite the pole position breakthrough, Verstappen acknowledged Red Bull still faces limitations they cannot resolve this season, particularly regarding car degradation issues. He expressed confidence in their race pace and tire management for Sunday's grand prix, noting his strong long-run performance during Friday practice sessions at the demanding Malaysian venue.