Max Verstappen claims first win of F1 season after chaotic Bahrain GP in Malaysia

[p]The start at the Sepang International Circuit was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/bahrain-grand-prix-in-malasyia-delayed-due-to-heavy-rain-at-sepang-international-circuit/4GmS7GWG/"]postponed twice[/a], totalling over 90 minutes of delay after rainfall and software issues in the hybrid cars held up the first race in Malaysia in nine years. Ferrari's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] was feared to have abandoned the race altogether after coming to a standstill, but hastily regained power and rejoined the pack.[/p][p]The rolling start brought chaos as the field split into groups on wet and dry tyres, struggling with the conditions as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gasly-pierre/nqYFMBBf/"]Pierre Gasly[/a] went off-track and nearly crashed into the wall.[/p][p]Race control opted for a standing start instead, and pole sitter [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a] lost the top spot with a slow start as Mercedes' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Kimi Antonelli[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]George Russell[/a] jolted in front.[/p][embed guid="b7a855b1-78fc-476c-8b7b-c95742e27928" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2106667778136531007?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]As the drivers on dry-weather tyres struggled to get anything going on the damp tarmac, the Dutchman fought back to P2, but his rally ended when Cadillac's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bottas-valtteri/bRJJqiGb/"]Valtteri Bottas[/a] beaching his car in the Malaysian gravel triggered a safety car.[/p][p]After four laps of neutrality, Verstappen made the most of the restart and beat leader Antonelli in a daring side-by-side move through three turns, with Russell piling onto the Italian's sorrows by demoting him to P3 and opening the race up.[/p][embed guid="9ff70a84-7133-447f-bb10-485958a2f165" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2106672488998474033?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]As Hamilton marched up the field, Antonelli overtook Russell to regain P2 and opened a gap to his teammate, who quickly fell 10 seconds behind the championship leader.[/p][p]With 10 laps remaining, the field was neutralised once more after Williams' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/albon-alexander/OEbwYC7k/"]Alexander Albon[/a] parked his car by the side of the track with a gearbox issue. The Thai driver was not the last to retire, as championship contender George Russell was forced to retire five laps before the chequered flag with a power unit issue.[/p][p]After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] took a detour under the safety car and lost several spots, the race restarted with four laps to go. Lewis Hamilton completed an unlikely comeback, overtaking Red Bull's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Isack Hadjar[/a] to take third place, while Aston Martin's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-fernando/rVRhR90U/"]Fernando Alonso[/a] secured his team's first points of a dreadful season after a mammoth drive.[/p][embed guid="e3a14a43-89d1-4c00-9a10-c110c2c4c5cf" url="https://x.com/redbullracing/status/2106691777298374909?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Max Verstappen held on to the lead to secure back-to-back wins in Malaysia, nine years removed from his previous win at Sepang, and his first win of the 2026 Formula 1 season with the new Red Bull Ford Powertrains engine. Kimi Antonelli finished second, with Lewis Hamilton and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a] claiming third and fourth.[/p][p]The second-place finish has greatly improved Antonelli's lead over teammate George Russell in the drivers' championship, now 84 points with seven races to go.[/p]