Four-time world champion Max Verstappen secured his first win of 2026 at a storm-delayed and chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on October 4, 2026, managing treacherous conditions and shifting tyre strategies to finish ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
The Sepang International Circuit hosted a chaotic F1 Sunday on October 4, after torrential rain triggered a protracted 100-minute delay and left the asphalt slick with standing water. The tropical downpour created immediate drama even before the formation lap, with the medical car experiencing slight aquaplaning and several power units suffering software anomalies. When the field finally rolled out behind the Safety Car, the immediate question centered on whether to gamble on dry slick tyres or stick to intermediates.
Tyre Strategy Chaos and First-Lap Turmoil in Sepang
The initial grid split proved decisive. Pole-sitter Verstappen and Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli started on intermediate tyres, while drivers including Lewis Hamilton and Gabriel Bortoleto rolled the dice on soft slicks. That gamble on dry compounds backfired instantly as the lights went out. Antonelli stormed into the lead through turn one, followed closely by his teammate George Russell on the outside, while Verstappen lost early momentum and slipped backward.
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Recognizing the treacherous reality of the asphalt, Sergio Perez became the first driver to pit at the end of the opening lap, swapping his softs for intermediates. Other drivers following the same strategy soon piled into the pit lane, leaving the top positions occupied entirely by competitors on intermediate rubber.
Bottas Crash Triggers Pit Stops and Restart
The race turned dramatically on lap 10 when Valtteri Bottas slid off into the gravel trap, triggering a virtual safety car that brought nearly the entire field into the pits for dry tyres. Antonelli took medium compounds while Verstappen opted for softs. Hamilton, who had endured a miserable opening stint on his original slicks, stayed out on track to salvage track position.
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Verstappen pounced instantly, sweeping past the young Italian in the opening corner to reclaim the lead. Russell also slipped past his Mercedes teammate during the restart shuffle. Deeper in the pack, contact between Carlos Sainz and Gabriel Bortoleto sent the Williams spinning sideways, earning the Brazilian rookie a 10-second penalty for the collision.
Verstappen Leads as Hamilton Recovers to Top Five
Once out front, Verstappen established a comfortable cushion, expanding his advantage over Russell to roughly eight seconds by lap 25. Behind the leaders, Hamilton executed a relentless recovery drive, slicing through the midfield traffic and carving past Liam Lawson by lap 23 to climb into the top five.
Late-race drama arrived when Alex Albon parked his disabled Williams beside the circuit, bringing out a full safety car with nine laps remaining. The neutralization prompted a frantic final round of pit stops for fresh soft tyres across the field. As the race compressed for a four-lap sprint to the checkered flag, championship implications shifted dramatically.
Russell suffered a late power failure under the safety car and was forced to retire his Mercedes from second place. That misfortune opened the door for Hamilton, who seized third place by passing Isack Hadjar in the closing dash. Verstappen crossed the finish line 2.307 seconds clear of Antonelli, securing Red Bull’s first Grand Prix victory of the season and his first win since Abu Dhabi in 2025.