Marco Rossi · F1-Korrespondent
Under changeable conditions and two safety car periods, Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the season, while George Russell lost a seemingly secure third place shortly before the checkered flag.
Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit on Sunday, claiming his first victory of the 2026 season. Starting from pole position, the Dutchman controlled the race through variable conditions and two safety car phases, finishing ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton, while George Russell dropped off the podium following a mechanical failure in the closing stages.
Verstappen Maintains Control Through Two Safety Cars
Verstappen secured pole with a time of 1:35.130 ahead of Hamilton and controlled the race from the start. The treacherous, unpredictable conditions at Sepang forced the entire field toward caution for much of the distance, and the Red Bull driver managed his advantage smoothly, keeping his rhythm through both interruptions without losing focus.
At the finish, his margin over Antonelli stood at just over two seconds, a narrow gap on the surface, but a deserved victory after 55 turbulent laps. For Verstappen, it marks his first win of the season, a success earned through difficult conditions that demanded every bit of his skill.
Two Safety Cars and a Bitter Finish for Russell
Valtteri Bottas lost control of his Cadillac on the slippery track surface in lap 7 and spun, according to motorsportweek.com. The incident triggered the first safety car phase and created a critical strategic window in which several drivers switched from intermediates to slicks.
The second incident proved far more consequential. Alexander Albon's Williams came to a stop at the roadside in lap 43 with a gearbox failure, as racingnews365.com reported. His car was stuck in gear and could not be manually moved by trackside marshals. What began as a virtual safety car had to be converted to a full safety car phase due to the need for a crane, scrambling the pit window strategy in the closing stages once more.
According to reports, George Russell suffered a suspected drivetrain failure on his Mercedes during this very phase in lap 51. The Briton was running third at that moment, behind the leading Verstappen and his teammate Antonelli, following an impressive recovery from eighth on the grid. Russell was forced to retire, an exit that cost him valuable points and was a bitter blow for Mercedes.
Antonelli Extends Championship Lead, Strong Weekend for Red Bull's Development Team
For Antonelli, second place meant far more than simply good points on a difficult weekend. According to racingnews365.com, his championship lead grew from 66 to 84 points following Russell's retirement, a cushion that works decidedly in the young Italian's favor in the title fight. Hamilton rounded out a strong Ferrari weekend in third, while Leclerc climbed from fifth on the grid to fourth, narrowly missing a double podium finish for the Scuderia.
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls had reason to celebrate as well: Liam Lawson scored seventh from eleventh on the grid, while Arvid Lindblad climbed from sixteenth to tenth and into the points, an encouraging result for the junior team. McLaren will be less satisfied, with Lando Norris finishing ninth despite a strong sixth-place start, while Oscar Piastri improved from seventh to sixth.
Looking ahead to the races to come, the battle at the top remains compelling. Verstappen has shown he can win under difficult conditions, while Antonelli extended his championship lead despite his teammate's unexpected retirement. Mercedes and Russell must learn from this, finding ways to convert strong race pace into actual points in the future.
