Verstappen takes first pole of 2026 at Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia

Max Verstappen took pole position in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, which is being held at Sepang in Malaysia. It is the first pole of the 2026 season for both Verstappen and Red Bull.

His time was 1 minute 35.130 seconds. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton qualified second, about three-tenths of a second slower (0.298 seconds, according to the BBC), and will start alongside him on the front row.

Red Bull's Isack Hadjar was third fastest but has a five-place, engine-related grid penalty and will start eighth. That moves championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who was fourth fastest, up to third. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was fifth fastest and Lando Norris (McLaren) sixth.

George Russell (Mercedes) was eighth fastest and will start seventh. He trails Antonelli by 66 points and won the previous race in Baku. Antonelli had his first lap in the second session deleted for exceeding track limits, leaving him one set of new soft tyres for the final session. Mercedes brought an upgrade that has not delivered the step the team expected.

The race carries the Bahrain name because the Bahrain event did not take place earlier in the year due to the war in the Middle East. Formula One last raced at Sepang in 2017, when Verstappen won. He has not yet won a race in 2026.

According to the BBC, Verstappen topped all three qualifying sessions, and rain is a possibility for the race. The Guardian reports that Verstappen is out of the 2026 title fight.

What is disputed

The BBC says the original Bahrain race was postponed; the Guardian says it was cancelled. Outlets also describe Hadjar's penalty differently: exceeding his seasonal engine allowance (Al Jazeera), exceeding his permitted number of engine parts (BBC), or taking a new engine (Guardian). The reports do not include the stewards' document.

What each side says

• Verstappen, quoted by the BBC: "We have been adding bits to the car and they have worked." The Guardian quoted him as saying: "I am going to try to win tomorrow."
• Hamilton, quoted by Al Jazeera, said the heat had "made it a massive challenge for the tyres, for the car, for the mechanics in the garage". The BBC quoted him as aiming to "just try my best to hold on to him tomorrow".
• Antonelli, quoted by the Guardian: "I think Max has the edge on pace. Tomorrow, the tyre deg is going to be huge."
• Russell, quoted by the BBC: "The others have caught up and overtaken [us]."
• Hadjar, quoted by Al Jazeera: "From P8, I'm confident we can go through the field and come back for a good result."

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi cover qualifying only and do not give the complete starting grid.

Analysis

Qualifying suggests the competitive order may be shifting, though one session is limited evidence. Red Bull's drivers attribute their pace to recent upgrades, while Mercedes' drivers say they cannot fully explain their deficit. If that pattern holds in the race, Verstappen could take his first win of 2026; if tyre degradation is as severe as Antonelli expects, strategy and the number of pit stops could matter more than grid position. Rain, which the BBC reports is possible, would add further uncertainty. Antonelli starts four places ahead of Russell, his team-mate and the driver 66 points behind him, but the race outcome remains open.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.