Max Verstappen Masters Chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia; Antonelli Extends Championship Lead
Kimi Antonelli extended his championship advantage over George Russell to 84 points after Russell's late retirement from the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The story
Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2026 season at the rain-hit Bahrain Grand Prix, held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The race began with significant delays due to a heavy downpour and widespread software glitches that affected throttle inputs for several cars, including polesitter Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
After a prolonged stoppage, the race finally got underway with a mix of intermediate and slick tire strategies. Verstappen initially lost positions but quickly recovered, battling with Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
Hamilton, starting on slick tires despite the damp conditions, mounted a remarkable recovery drive through the field. The closing stages saw a Virtual Safety Car and a full Safety Car, which reshaped strategies.
George Russell's hopes for a podium finish, and his championship challenge, ended dramatically with an engine failure on lap 49, forcing his retirement. Verstappen ultimately crossed the finish line ahead of Antonelli and Hamilton.
On the podium
| Position | Driver | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | - |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +2.307s |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +4.919s |
Key moments
Pre-Race. Heavy rain and software glitches on the formation laps caused a 93-minute delay and a suspended start procedure.
Lap 9. Valtteri Bottas spun into the gravel at Turn 13, prompting the deployment of the Safety Car.
Lap 21. Kimi Antonelli overtook George Russell at Turn 4 to reclaim second position.
Lap 41. A Virtual Safety Car was deployed when Alex Albon stopped with a gearbox issue, triggering a round of pit stops.
Lap 49. George Russell's Mercedes stopped on the start/finish straight due to a power unit issue, ending his race.
Championship
| Pos | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 320 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 236 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 214 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 191 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 188 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 188 |
Next race
The Formula 1 calendar moves to Singapore for Round 17, the Singapore Grand Prix, from October 9-11. Held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, this will be a Sprint weekend, adding an extra layer of strategy to the night race.
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.