Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season after mastering a chaotic, rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on Sunday.
Starting from pole position, the Red Bull driver controlled an unpredictable race to snap his winless run.
Mercedes driver George Russell suffered late heartbreak when an engine blow forced him out of second place on Lap 50, promoting championship leader Kimi Antonelli to second and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to third.
Sepang Chaos And 93-Minute Delay
Torrential tropical rain lashed the Sepang International Circuit ahead of lights out, delaying the start by 40 minutes.
Conditions worsened during the initial formation laps as standing water and technical glitches caused chaos across the grid. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar slid into the gravel, while Lewis Hamilton experienced power delivery issues that required a quick software reset in the pit lane.
Race officials red-flagged the start procedure, pushing the eventual race start 93 minutes past the original schedule and trimming the distance from 56 to 55 laps.
Verstappen Delivers Historic Win For Ford
Once racing finally got underway behind the safety car, Verstappen showcased his wet-weather mastery.
The Dutchman pulled away cleanly at the front, keeping his intermediate tyres in the operating window and managing track conditions with precision.
The triumph marked a historic milestone for Red Bull Ford as an engine supplier. It delivered Ford their first Formula 1 race win since Giancarlo Fisichella won the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, ending a 23-year wait at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Russell Suffers Late Engine Agony
Behind Verstappen, George Russell drove a composed race and looked set to bank 18 valuable points in second place.
Disaster struck on Lap 50 when smoke poured from the back of his Mercedes, forcing the British driver to pull over at the side of the track.
The safety car was deployed, wiping out Verstappen’s lead and setting up a three-lap sprint to the chequered flag.
At the restart, McLaren’s Lando Norris locked up into Turn 1 to avoid running into teammate Oscar Piastri, sliding wide into the runoff area and tumbling down to tenth.
Verstappen held his nerve effortlessly on the restart, pulling clear of Antonelli to take the chequered flag.
Full Race Results: 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
| Position | Driver | Team / Car | Laps | Gap / Status | Points |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford | 55 | Winner | 25 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 55 | +2.418s | 18 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 55 | +5.892s | 15 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 55 | +8.114s | 12 |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 55 | +11.305s | 10 |
| 6 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls-Red Bull Ford | 55 | +14.620s | 8 |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford | 55 | +17.845s | 6 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Honda | 55 | +21.110s | 4 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Mercedes | 55 | +24.450s | 2 |
| 10 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 55 | +27.890s | 1 |
| DNF | George Russell | Mercedes | 49 | Power Unit | 0 |
Updated Drivers’ Championship Picture
Kimi Antonelli’s composed drive to second extended his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship table.
With George Russell failing to score, Antonelli now holds an 84-point advantage over his teammate with seven rounds remaining.
Max Verstappen’s maiden victory of 2026 lifts him closer to the frontrunners, breathing fresh life into Red Bull Ford’s campaign heading into the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.
