Max Verstappen wins the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia race ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of 2026 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, overcoming a dramatic race that was delayed by nearly 100 minutes due to heavy rain and power unit software problems. The Red Bull driver started from pole position but dropped to third at the start when Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell overtook him on intermediate tires.

The race faced multiple delays when formation lap attempts were abandoned after several cars suffered power unit failures. Ferrari-powered cars including Lewis Hamilton's experienced complete power loss, with Hamilton reporting he was pressing the throttle with nothing happening. The FIA distributed emergency software updates to resolve the widespread technical issues.

Verstappen fought back to take the lead during the first restart and controlled the race despite two Safety Car interruptions. Antonelli finished second to strengthen his championship position, while Hamilton recovered from an early strategic gamble on slick tires to claim third place for Ferrari after a sensational drive through the field.

George Russell's title hopes suffered a major blow when his Mercedes retired with five laps remaining due to a suspected power unit problem, extending Antonelli's championship lead to 84 points. The result marked Red Bull's first victory with their own power unit and Verstappen's 72nd career win after nine years since his last triumph at Sepang.

Heavy rain before the start delivered Formula 1's first true wet weather action under 2026 regulations at the 16th round of the season. The extreme conditions and multiple technical failures created what Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle called one of the craziest Formula 1 races he had ever seen.

data Formula1.com