Max Verstappen claimed his and Red Bull’s first win of the 2026 season after a dramatic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, which was delayed by heavy rain and a series of unusual technical problems.
Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes, while team-mate George Russell retired from third with just five laps remaining after a power unit failure. The result gave Antonelli a huge boost in the championship, extending his lead over Russell to 84 points with six or seven races still to come.
Lewis Hamilton produced one of the drives of the race. After dropping towards the back due to an incorrect tyre choice in the wet conditions, he fought his way through the field and passed Isack Hadjar for third with just three laps remaining.
The race was delayed by around 90 minutes, with cars struggling to complete their formation laps because of technical issues on the wet track. The FIA then faced the unusual task of determining the correct starting order before the race could finally get underway.
