Max Verstappen Wins Rain-Affected Bahrain GP as Russell Retires

Max Verstappen secured his first win of the 2026 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, converting pole position into victory after a race affected by heavy rain, changing track conditions, and multiple Safety Car periods.

Kimi Antonelli finished second, 2.307 seconds behind Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton completed the podium after recovering from a difficult start. Charles Leclerc finished fourth, and Isack Hadjar took fifth.

Rain Delays Race Start

Heavy rain before the scheduled start left significant standing water around the Sepang circuit. The start was delayed before the initial procedure was eventually suspended after several drivers encountered problems during the formation laps.

The race finally got underway with drivers split between intermediate and slick tyres. Antonelli and George Russell made the strongest initial getaway, moving ahead of polesitter Verstappen.

Verstappen soon recovered, passing Russell before a Safety Car was deployed following Valtteri Bottas’ spin. The neutralisation gave the intermediate runners an opportunity to switch to slick tyres as the circuit dried.

Verstappen Takes Control

After the restart, Verstappen overtook Antonelli around the outside at Turn 1 and then moved into the lead. He subsequently built a gap over the two Mercedes cars while the field continued to trade positions.

Further Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car periods interrupted the race. Verstappen briefly lost the lead during a later pit-stop sequence but returned to the front after Antonelli made his stop.

The final Safety Car period brought a major change to the race when Russell’s Mercedes stopped on track, forcing him to retire.

Russell Loses Ground in Title Fight

Russell’s retirement leaves him 84 points behind championship leader Antonelli, with seven rounds remaining. The Mercedes driver had reduced the deficit to 66 points after winning in Azerbaijan, but the result in Malaysia has widened the gap again.

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Final Take

Verstappen’s victory marks Red Bull’s first win of the 2026 campaign. Antonelli’s second-place finish strengthens his championship lead, while Russell’s late retirement represents a significant setback in his title challenge.