Verstappen wins chaotic Bahrain GP in Malaysia as Russell's engine dies
Max Verstappen finally reached the top step of the podium in 2026, winning the Bahrain Grand Prix held at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, according to www.formula1.com.
The Dutchman converted his breakthrough 2026 pole position into victory despite everything Sunday threw at the drivers: heavy rain, suspended starts, delays, mixed conditions, and Safety Car restarts. Nothing could stop the four-time World Champion from taking his first win of the season.
Verstappen’s pole lap on Saturday was almost three tenths quicker than nearest challenger Lewis Hamilton, per www.formula1.com. It was a statement of intent after a season spent chasing podiums rather than victories.
The win was a long time coming. Verstappen had come within two tenths of victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and that near-miss clearly fueled the momentum that carried Red Bull through the Sepang weekend.
Having triumphed at the Malaysian venue on F1’s last visit back in 2017, Verstappen used plenty of lessons from the first half of the season and recent updates to charge to that breakthrough pole. Saturday’s lap set the stage; Sunday’s drive delivered the result.
A CHAOTIC SEPANG SUNDAY
Sunday threw everything at the drivers at Sepang International Circuit, according to www.formula1.com. Heavy rain, suspended starts, delays, mixed conditions and Safety Car restarts all featured across a chaotic afternoon on the Malaysian venue’s return to F1.
Despite all of that, Verstappen converted pole into the race win, per www.formula1.com. The four-time World Champion held his nerve through the stoppages and restarts to take his first victory of 2026.
Sepang staged a thriller on its return to the calendar, according to www.formula1.com. The circuit had been absent since 2017, when Verstappen last triumphed there, and it delivered a dramatic welcome back.
The win was not simply a case of surviving the conditions. Verstappen used the lessons from the first half of the season, boosted by recent updates, to stay ahead of the chaos and control the race when it mattered.
RED BULL'S ENGINE GAMBLE PAYS OFF
The victory was built on a gamble taken long before Sepang. Red Bull invested in their own power unit facility and created an engine from the ground up for the 2026 regulations, according to www.formula1.com.
The early returns were promising. Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar combined for nine Grand Prix podium finishes across the first 15 rounds, per www.formula1.com.
But podiums were never going to be enough. Reliability caused a few headaches earlier in the season, according to www.formula1.com, and Red Bull's own standards demanded more than regular visits to the rostrum.
The near-miss came in Azerbaijan. Verstappen finished within two tenths of victory there, according to www.formula1.com, a result that sharpened the focus heading into Sepang.
That momentum carried through the weekend. Verstappen converted his breakthroughs into a dominant display, using lessons from the first half of the season and recent updates to control a chaotic race.
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The timing, though, may be awkward. This win might have come too late for a championship comeback this year, according to www.formula1.com.
What it does is reset the picture for 2027. Red Bull's engine project has delivered its first victory, and the message to the rest of the grid is clear: the gamble is paying off.
RUSSELL'S HEARTBREAK, ANTONELLI'S GAIN
George Russell’s race died with only a handful of laps remaining, his power unit giving up the ghost after a long, punishing afternoon at Sepang, according to www.formula1.com.
The exact nature of the failure has not been confirmed.
Mercedes will likely describe the day as bittersweet, according to www.formula1.com. Russell was running strongly before the retirement, and losing a car so late in treacherous conditions stings all the more.
The other side of the garage offered the counterweight. Kimi Antonelli grabbed a podium, finishing second, to extend his lead in the championship, according to www.formula1.com.
Second place was a very strong result on a day where treacherous conditions could have derailed his title charge, according to www.formula1.com. Suspended starts, delays, mixed conditions and Safety Car restarts left plenty of room for a championship leader to lose it all.
Antonelli held it together. The points banked keep the title fight in his hands, but the mood at Mercedes is complicated. One driver extended his lead, the other watched his race end early.
Russell's retirement reshapes the battle behind the scenes, but Antonelli's consistency means Mercedes still leaves Sepang with something to build on.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The win underlines that Verstappen and Red Bull are a force to be reckoned with once more, according to www.formula1.com. After a season spent chasing podiums rather than victories, the Sepang result changes the trajectory of the project.
It might have come too late for a championship comeback this year, but the source is clear on what it means for the longer game. Verstappen and Red Bull should head into 2027 as serious contenders, per www.formula1.com.
The groundwork was already visible in the numbers. Nine Grand Prix podium finishes across the first 15 rounds for Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar showed the pace was there, even when reliability caused headaches. The Bahrain GP in Malaysia proved the team can now convert that pace into a win when it matters.
For the championship fight, Antonelli's second place extended his lead in the standings, according to www.formula1.com. The points banked in treacherous conditions keep the title in his hands, even as Russell's retirement reshapes the battle behind him.
The next race date and any further championship implications are not in the source. What is confirmed is the momentum shift: Red Bull are winners again, and the 2027 picture suddenly looks very different.
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