F1 Malaysia starting grid after three penalties
Formula 1’s Return to Malaysia Reshaped by Penalties as Verstappen and Hamilton Dominate Front Row
Source: The Race · October 3, 2026 at 4:02 PM · AI-assisted report
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SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, MALAYSIA, 3 OCTOBER 2026 —
Formula 1’s Return to Malaysia Reshaped by Penalties as Verstappen and Hamilton Dominate Front Row
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Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Sepang International Circuit, capping a dominant qualifying session that saw him beat Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds. The front row remains unchanged from qualifying, with Hamilton—now driving for Ferrari—joining Verstappen in a repeat of their 2017 grid setup, marking the first time F1 has raced in Malaysia since then.
However, three drivers face significant grid penalties for power unit violations, altering the projected starting order ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which begins this weekend.
The penalties reflect a growing trend of technical infringements in F1, with teams navigating strict power unit regulations that penalise component changes. The adjustments push lower-ranked drivers forward, including Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who moves to third place, while Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad face severe setbacks. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ struggles in qualifying—despite an upgraded car—highlight the team’s ongoing challenges, with George Russell starting seventh after a disappointing session.
Verstappen’s pole position, achieved with a time of 1:35.130, marks the first non-Mercedes-powered pole of the season. The Red Bull driver’s dominance was underscored by his 0.298-second margin over Hamilton, who qualified second. Antonelli, now third, benefits from Isack Hadjar’s five-place grid penalty for exceeding internal combustion engine component allocations.
Hadjar, who qualified third, drops to eighth, while Colapinto—already penalised five places for a Baku collision—receives an additional 10 places for engine component changes, placing him 21st on the grid. Lindblad, who qualified 16th, must start from the back after Racing Bulls fitted a new set of engine components, triggering a penalty exceeding 15 places.
The McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri occupy the third row, with Norris starting fifth and Piastri sixth. Russell’s seventh-place start reflects Mercedes’ toughest qualifying of the year, with the team scrambling to diagnose performance issues. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) round out the top 10, while Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) starts 12th, ahead of his teammate Lance Stroll (14th).
The lower half of the grid includes Alpine’s Colapinto (21st), Lindblad (22nd), and the six Q1 eliminations—Nico Hülkenberg, Logan Sargeant, Esteban Ocon, Alexander Albon, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Pérez—who gain two positions due to the penalties.
Pirelli’s pre-race analysis highlighted challenging conditions at Sepang, with low grip, dust, and an abrasive surface increasing tyre degradation. Friday’s benchmark lap was over four seconds slower than the qualifying simulation reference, a stark contrast to the 2017 race weekend. Lewis Hamilton received a warning for impeding Gabriel Bortoleto during Friday practice, but Ferrari avoided a grid penalty after a €10,000 fine.
The incident shows the physical and technical demands of the race, which returns to Malaysia after a nine-year absence.
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia runs from October 2–4, with qualifying scheduled for Saturday at 16:00 Malaysia time (09:00 BST, 04:00 EDT, 13:30 IST, 18:00 AEST). The event marks F1’s first visit to the region since 2017, drawing attention to both the sport’s global appeal and the technical intricacies that shape race outcomes.
As teams prepare for the weekend, the penalties serve as a reminder of the high stakes in compliance, while Verstappen and Hamilton’s front-row lock signals a high-octane contest ahead.
Related: Max Verstappen