All the key moments from the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2026 F1 season at the dramatic, rain-affected Bahrain Grand Prix held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Despite a challenging start to the season for Red Bull, Verstappen leveraged recent car updates to claim pole position and held off rivals in a chaotic race featuring suspended starts and mixed weather conditions to take the win. His teammate, Isack Hadjar, finished in the points as the team signals a return to competitive form. Mercedes had a bittersweet weekend; Kimi Antonelli finished second to extend his championship lead, but teammate George Russell retired late in the race due to a power unit failure. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton managed an impressive recovery to finish third after a difficult tire strategy, while Charles Leclerc fought back to fourth. McLaren endured a testing day as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri navigated unpredictable tire choices and late-race Safety Car drama to finish ninth and sixth, respectively. Fernando Alonso provided a highlight for Aston Martin by securing eighth place, marking his best result of the 2026 season so far. The return of F1 to the Sepang circuit proved to be a resounding success, with the unpredictable weather and technical circuit layout delivering an action-packed, classic race that kept fans engaged until the final lap.