Max Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after rain-hit finale; George Russell retires late

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Max Verstappen claimed his and Red Bull’s first win of the 2026 Formula 1 season at Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, a race defined by heavy rain, a delay and a suspended start procedure before the field finally got away in slippery, mixed conditions.

After the start was delayed and then suspended, drivers struggled to maintain speed during the initial formation lap as the circuit came to grips with wet running. When the race eventually began, tyre selection split immediately: some teams stayed on intermediate compounds while others made early moves toward slicks, setting up frequent changes in momentum across the first phase.

Pole-sitter Verstappen initially lost ground at the start to the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. All three then ran on intermediates as they navigated the early laps, but Verstappen settled into a rhythm and began to work back, taking opportunities around a Safety Car period that arrived after Valtteri Bottas spun out.

The Safety Car created the clearest strategy window for intermediate runners to switch to slick tyres. Those who committed to slicks at the wrong moment were caught out as grip shifted, while threats of further rain did not materialise before the chequered flag. With the race largely under control once he regained P1, Verstappen pulled away from Antonelli and Russell after moving back into the lead.

Behind Verstappen, Antonelli and Russell contested second place. The finish also included a late Virtual Safety Car/Safety Car combination, during which Russell’s race ended dramatically. Antonelli’s immediate championship situation was already favourable entering the final stages, but the loss of his team mate compounded the blow to Russell as he ground to a halt on the start/finish straight behind the last Safety Car.

Hamilton and Leclerc both started on slick tyres and dropped toward the back of the grid as the conditions evolved. Both later made decisive recoveries: Hamilton climbed to P3 and Leclerc advanced to P4, giving Ferrari a points haul. Isack Hadjar finished P5 after falling back from third in the closing laps as Hamilton and Leclerc completed their charge.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished P6, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson took P7 and Fernando Alonso completed the top eight in a late morale-boosting result for Aston Martin. Lando Norris was running behind Piastri before the final restart, but he lost control of his McLaren behind the Safety Car and ran through the gravel, finishing ninth ahead of Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.

Further down the order, Nico Hulkenberg just missed out on a reward in 11th for Audi, followed by Lance Stroll in 12th for Aston Martin. Franco Colapinto took 13th for Alpine, with Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon completing the points positions behind them. The source notes that Gabriel Bortoleto was penalised after a mid-race collision, while Pierre Gasly almost crashed out on slicks during the formation lap before rejoining and finishing 16th.

Carlos Sainz finished ahead of Gasly in 17th for Williams, with Gabriel Bortoleto completing 18th. Sergio Perez brought the final finish in 19th, with Russell’s late retirement, Bottas’ race-ending spin and an additional stoppage involving the Williams of Alex Albon contributing to the late Safety Car action.