Max Verstappen Ends Red Bull Win Drought At Bahrain GP

Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season in a chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, beating Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli to the chequered flag as George Russell's late retirement dealt a major blow to his championship hopes.

The race at Sepang was delayed twice after torrential rain hit the circuit before the start, while a series of power-unit problems during the formation laps created further confusion. Verstappen eventually controlled the race to secure Red Bull's first win of the season and his first victory since last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Antonelli finished second, with Lewis Hamilton completing the podium for Ferrari after recovering from 18th following an early tyre gamble. Charles Leclerc was fourth, while Isack Hadjar rounded out the top five.

Max Verstappen ends Red Bull's wait for victory

Verstappen started from pole but lost the lead to both Mercedes cars when the race finally got underway, with Antonelli taking first place and Russell moving into second.

The Red Bull driver quickly showed strong pace in the wet conditions. He passed Russell on lap six before reclaiming the lead from Antonelli after the first Safety Car period, triggered by Valtteri Bottas' spin on lap nine.

Verstappen then steadily extended his advantage, eventually building a lead of more than 10 seconds before a second Safety Car neutralised the race with five laps remaining.

He made no mistakes after the restart to secure his first win of the season and the 72nd victory of his career.

Lewis Hamilton recovers from 18th to finish third

Hamilton endured one of the most difficult starts to the race after Ferrari gambled on slick tyres when the circuit was still too slippery.

The decision dropped him as far as 18th, but the seven-time world champion stayed out as conditions improved instead of immediately switching to intermediates. A Safety Car then brought the field back together, giving Hamilton an opportunity to recover.

Hamilton produced strong pace through the second half of the race and overtook Hadjar after the final restart to take third.

The result ended Ferrari's five-race wait for a podium, while Leclerc followed his teammate home in fourth.

Russell suffers late retirement as title hopes fade

Russell had been running third behind Antonelli before a suspected power-unit problem forced him to retire with five laps remaining.

The Mercedes driver had entered the weekend hoping to reduce Antonelli's championship advantage after his victory in Baku. Instead, the DNF extended his deficit to 84 points with seven rounds remaining.

Antonelli, meanwhile, secured another strong points haul with second place and strengthened his position at the top of the championship.

Rain creates chaotic start at Sepang

The race had already been delayed after heavy rain and thunderstorms swept across Sepang shortly before the scheduled start.

After around a 40-minute delay, the cars returned to the circuit for exploratory laps behind the Safety Car. But the chaos continued when several drivers reported power problems in the wet conditions.

Verstappen complained that his Red Bull was struggling for power, while Hamilton suffered throttle problems in his Ferrari. Other Ferrari-powered cars also encountered issues, forcing Race Control to suspend the starting procedure once again.

Teams were then given additional time to work through software adjustments while the cars were restored to their correct grid positions.

Tyre gamble adds another twist

By the time the race was finally ready to start, the rain had stopped and the circuit was drying.

Thirteen of the 22 drivers gambled on slick tyres, including both Ferraris and McLarens, while Verstappen and the Mercedes drivers stayed on intermediates.

The slick-tyre gamble quickly proved problematic as the track remained too slippery, forcing several drivers to pit for intermediates.

Verstappen's decision to remain on intermediates ultimately proved decisive. Despite initially losing the lead, he had the pace to recover and take control of the race.

Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Top 10

The result gives Verstappen his first win of 2026 after a difficult opening half of the campaign, while Antonelli leaves Sepang with his championship lead intact. For Russell, however, the late power-unit failure could prove costly as the title race enters its final seven rounds.