Bahrain GP in Malaysia 2026: Verstappen on pole ahead of Hamilton

SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, 3 OCTOBER 2026 —

Max Verstappen secured Red Bull’s first pole position of 2026 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, dominating qualifying with a commanding performance that left Lewis Hamilton in second place.

The Dutch driver, who last secured pole and victory at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, celebrated the milestone with a direct quote: "Fantastic. We have been trying many grands prix to get pole, sometimes a bit closer than others. But to finally get it from where we started the season, pretty incredible."

Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, acknowledged the challenges of qualifying in the extreme heat of Sepang, where tyre management and car balance became critical. "It’s so hot here. That’s made it a massive challenge for the cars, the tyres, the mechanics in the garage," he said.

"Because the tyres are sliding, it’s so hard to find a good balance, and we made one change and we finally hit the sweet spot." Despite Mercedes’ recent upgrade—introduced at the Canadian Grand Prix in June—the team failed to match Red Bull’s pace, leaving Hamilton just 0.298 seconds behind Verstappen.

The qualifying session also reshuffled the grid for Red Bull’s Kimi Räikkönen, who leads the championship. Räikkönen’s teammate, George Russell, struggled with pace, finishing eighth fastest, while Räikkönen himself was promoted to third on the grid after Isack Hadjar, who qualified third but faces a five-place grid penalty.

Räikkönen’s qualifying was complicated by a tyre management issue: he entered Q3 with only four new sets of soft tyres instead of the usual five, forcing him to delete a lap for exceeding track limits. This left him with just one set for the final session, resulting in a time 0.501 seconds off pole. "It’s a shame because with only one set, big pressure," Räikkönen admitted.

"I did what I could, but with another set we could have fought for front row. Not P1, because Max was too quick today."

Russell’s performance was particularly disappointing, as he trailed Räikkönen by 0.240 seconds. "It’s the most demanding circuit on the tyres, so we don’t know exactly why we didn’t have the pace," Russell said. "From Friday, it was clear we weren’t on the pace of the Red Bulls, and we haven’t really progressed.

The others have caught up and overtaken us." McLaren, which had been tipped as potential frontrunners for Sepang due to their car’s recent strong performances on similar tracks, also underwhelmed. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified fifth and sixth, respectively, with Norris recording a best lap 0.627 seconds off the pace.

Aston Martin, however, showed signs of progress. Fernando Alonso—who recently confirmed his intention to remain in Formula 1 for at least another year in 2027—delivered the team’s best qualifying position of the season with a 12th-place finish. His lap time, 1.524 seconds off pole, was the team’s strongest of the year and suggests their recent aerodynamic and weight adjustments are paying off, particularly on tracks where power sensitivity is lower.

"It was definitely one of the best qualifies of the year," Alonso said. "1.5 seconds to the top of Q2, so the smallest margin. It seems this circuit is a little better for our package, and let’s see tomorrow if we can take advantage of this." Aston Martin’s other driver, Lance Stroll, qualified 14th, separated from Alonso by Williams’ Carlos Sainz.

The race takes place at the Sepang International Circuit, which hosted the Bahrain Grand Prix after its original postponement due to the war in the Middle East. Red Bull’s aerodynamic upgrades, introduced at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, have proven decisive at Sepang, a track known for its demanding tyre and aerodynamic requirements.

With Verstappen on pole and Hamilton in second, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown, one that could further intensify the championship battle as the season enters its final stretch.

Related: Red Bull · Max Verstappen · Sepang International Circuit