Verstappen beats Antonelli to claim first win of year in chaotic F1’s Bahrain GP in Malaysia
- Last updated: October 5, 2026 | 10:49
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen secured his and Red Bull’s first win this year with an imperious drive on Sunday in chaotic conditions in a storm-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Nine years after winning the last F1 race at the Sepang International Circuit, the 29-year-old Dutchman came through a wild afternoon of accidents and incidents for his 72nd victory and first since Abu Dhabi last year.
In a race of shifting tyre strategies, he came home 2.307 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton who took third after a thrilling recovery drive.
His Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc was fourth, having fallen to last place in the early laps, ahead of Isack Hadjar in the second Red Bull, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and the Racing Bull of Liam Lawson.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso finished a season-best eighth for Aston Martin ahead of world champion Lando Norris and Racing Bull rookie Arvid Lindblad.
The result extended Antonelli’s lead to 84 points ahead of team-mate George Russell, who retired after a late power failure under a safety car.
“It is really nice to win after the year we’ve had and all the progression we’ve made,” said a delighted Verstappen.
“It was very hectic with a lot of different things, but we made the right call with the inters (intermediate tyres).”
Antonelli congratulated him and added: “It was the maximum we could have done. We struggled, but I am happy to come away with P2.”
Russell, though, said he was “beyond disappointment” as luck deserted him late in the race.
“You’ve almost got to laugh... it’s just so many times this season it’s happened.
“I don’t need to say I think it’s gone but, of course, it’s exceptionally unlikely and that’s just the reality.”
‘Tough race’: Hamilton was greeted by a roar from the big crowd.
“What a tough race that was,” he said.
“I was more than a minute back after we made the wrong call on tyres at the start and everyone was pulling away.
“As a team, we ended up taking that soft (tyre) and at the end of the pit lane, these two (Verstappen and Antonelli) took off their (tyre) blankets and my heart just sank, because I knew straight away that we were in trouble,” Hamilton told reporters.
“As we pulled out, all the spray came out the back of Max’s car and I was like, ‘Okay, I’m done. My race is really in trouble’.
“We made the decision to live with it. As everyone was overtaking me, they (Ferrari) said, ‘Should we stop?’ I said, ‘No, we’ve already waited another 26 seconds. What’s the difference’.”
But as the track dried and safety car deployments played into his hands, Hamilton began a remarkable recovery drive as he gave Hadjar chase for fourth place, before George Russell’s retirement gave him a shot at a podium.
“I just waited for the track to dry and once it did, it felt good that I was catching people. The car felt great. Then after that, really good pit stops from my guys in the garage,” Hamilton added.
“And then a good strategy. So for us to get back to the podium, I never thought that that’s what was going to be the case. I’m really, really grateful.”
The race had followed a protracted 100-minute delay following a tropical rainstorm, and began with half the field on intermediate tyres.
Both Mercedes promptly swamped Verstappen, Antonelli taking the lead in turn one, followed by Russell.
Hamilton, on soft slicks, had no grip and tumbled down the order from second on the grid as it became clear that the conditions remained treacherous.
It all changed on lap nine when Valtteri Bottas slid off into the gravel and the safety car was deployed, bringing nearly everyone in for dry tyres with Antonelli taking mediums and Verstappen softs.
Hamilton stayed out and upon the resumption Verstappen pounced to sweep round Antonelli and regain a lead he would not relinquish.
Hamilton continued his recovery, slicing through the field and by lap 23 had dispensed with Lawson to take fifth.
Agencies