The victory marked Verstappen’s 72nd Formula 1 win and his first since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.

Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen crosses the finish line to win the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang on October 4, 2026. Photo: AFP

SEPANG: Four-time world champion Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the season for himself and Red Bull after mastering chaotic conditions in a storm-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on Sunday.

Nine years after his previous Formula 1 victory at Sepang, the 29-year-old Dutch driver produced a composed performance through a race filled with accidents, changing weather and multiple tyre strategies.

Verstappen crossed the finish line 2.307 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third after a remarkable recovery.

Verstappen Ends Red Bull’s Winless Run

The victory marked Verstappen’s 72nd Formula 1 win and his first since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth after recovering from a difficult opening phase that saw him drop to the back of the field.

Isack Hadjar finished fifth for Red Bull, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson.

Fernando Alonso recorded his best result of the season with eighth place for Aston Martin, ahead of reigning world champion Lando Norris and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.

The result extended Antonelli’s championship lead to 84 points over Mercedes teammate George Russell, who retired late in the race following a power failure while the safety car was deployed.

“It is really nice to win after the year we’ve had and all the progression we’ve made,” Verstappen said.

“It is super-nice to win here. It was very hectic with a lot of different things, but we made the right call with the inters.”

Antonelli said second place was the best result Mercedes could have achieved under the circumstances.

“It was the maximum we could have done. We struggled, but I am happy to come away with P2,” he said.

Hamilton Stages Dramatic Recovery

Hamilton received a huge reception from the crowd after securing third place despite a difficult start.

The Ferrari driver began the race on soft slick tyres but struggled for grip as the wet conditions persisted.

“What a tough race that was,” Hamilton said.

“I was more than a minute back after we made the wrong call on tyres at the start and everyone was pulling away.”

The race began after a lengthy 100-minute delay caused by a tropical rainstorm, with half of the field starting on intermediate tyres.

Mercedes immediately capitalised on the conditions, with Antonelli taking the lead at the first corner and Russell moving into second, pushing Verstappen down the order.

Hamilton, starting second on the grid, struggled badly on slick tyres and dropped through the field.

Safety Car Changes Race Strategy

The race changed dramatically on lap nine when Valtteri Bottas slid into the gravel, prompting the deployment of the safety car.

Most of the field entered the pits for dry-weather tyres. Antonelli switched to mediums, while Verstappen opted for soft tyres.

Hamilton remained on track.

When racing resumed, Verstappen quickly attacked Antonelli and reclaimed the lead, which he held through the remainder of the race.

Hamilton then began a determined recovery, overtaking rivals one after another. By lap 23, he had passed Lawson to move into fifth place.

Hamilton eventually closed to within six seconds of Lawson before both drivers made pit stops on lap 31.

The seven-time champion was unhappy with his replacement medium tyres, saying they felt poor during the stint.

Late Safety Car Secures Hamilton Podium

A late virtual safety car was followed by a full safety car, prompting the remaining drivers to pit for fresh soft tyres.

Russell’s retirement opened the door for Hamilton to challenge for a podium position.

Hamilton then passed Hadjar during the final four-lap sprint to the finish, completing his dramatic recovery with third place.

Verstappen, meanwhile, kept his composure to secure a landmark victory for Red Bull and end his wait for a win in Formula 1.