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2026 Bahrain Grand Prix

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2026 Bahrain Grand Prix
Race 16 of 23 in the 2026 Formula One World Championship
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Layout of the Sepang International Circuit
Layout of the Sepang International Circuit
Race details[1]
Date 4 October 2026 (2026-10-04)
Official name Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026
Location Sepang International Circuit
Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 5.543 km (3.444 miles)
Distance 55 laps, 304.874 km (189.440 miles)
Scheduled distance 56 laps, 310.417 km (192.884 miles)
Weather Heavy rain before the race, quickly drying following the restart
Attendance 261,000[2]
Pole position
Driver
Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford
Time 1:35.130
Fastest lap
Driver Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford
Time 1:38.220 on lap 55
Podium
First
Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford
Second
Mercedes
Third
Ferrari
Lap leaders

The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026) was a Formula One motor race held on 4 October 2026 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It was the sixteenth round of the 2026 Formula One World Championship and marked the first Formula One race at Sepang since 2017.[1][3]

The race was originally scheduled to be held at the Bahrain International Circuit on 12 April, but it and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix were removed from the April schedule following the outbreak of the 2026 Iran war.[4][3] Following an agreement between Formula One, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Bahrain and Malaysia, the event was reinstated on the calendar and relocated to Sepang, retaining the Bahrain Grand Prix name.[3] Bahrain retained control over ticket pricing and the right to receive all proceeds from the race.[5]

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) secured his first pole position of the season, also marking the first pole of 2026 for a car not powered by a Mercedes engine. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) qualified second, ahead of Verstappen's teammate Isack Hadjar. Hadjar's five-place grid penalty for exceeding his allocation of power unit elements relegated him to eighth on the starting grid. This promoted championship leader Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) to third, alongside Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) on the second row.

Heavy rain delayed the initial starting procedure by 40 minutes. Technical problems during the formation laps then forced the procedure to be suspended. The race began behind the safety car 93 minutes after the scheduled start, with a standing start following at the beginning of lap 3. Verstappen won from pole to claim his and Red Bull's first victory of the season, and their first since the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was also the first victory for Red Bull Ford Powertrains and the first for a Ford-powered car since the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. Antonelli finished second, ahead of Hamilton, who recovered from 18th after starting on slick tyres on the wet circuit. Championship contender George Russell (Mercedes) retired from third with a power-unit failure during the late safety-car period. The result extended Antonelli's championship lead over his teammate from 66 to 84 points.

Background

[edit]

The event was held at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang across the weekend of 2–4 October. It was the 20th Formula One Grand Prix in the circuit's history.[6] The Grand Prix was the sixteenth round of the 2026 Formula One World Championship and the 22nd running of the Bahrain Grand Prix.[7] The Sepang International Circuit hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix as a round of the Formula One World Championship annually from 1999 to 2017.[3]

In August 2025, then youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh said that the government had no immediate plans to restore the Malaysian Grand Prix, citing an estimated annual hosting fee of 300 million Malaysian ringgit (approx. 73 million USD) and competition for places on the Formula One calendar. She said Malaysia would nevertheless be open to a privately funded proposal.[8]

Postponement and attempts to reschedule

[edit]
The Bahrain International Circuit, where the Grand Prix was originally scheduled to take place.

The event was originally scheduled to take place across the weekend of 10–12 April 2026 at the Bahrain International Circuit and would have been the fourth round of the championship.[9][10] As of 2026, the Bahrain Grand Prix was contracted to remain on the Formula One calendar until 2036.[11]

On 28 February 2026, the Iran war broke out following targeted airstrikes by the United States and Israel.[12] In retaliation, Iran launched counterattacks targeting numerous American military bases in the Middle East, including those in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, all of which are host countries to Formula One Grands Prix.[13] Shortly after the conflict began, Pirelli cancelled scheduled tyre tests at the Bahrain International Circuit because of safety concerns.[14] On 14 March, Formula One announced that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not take place on their originally scheduled April dates.[4]

By late July, efforts to preserve one of the two rounds had focused on the Bahrain Grand Prix, with the Sepang International Circuit among the replacement options being considered. A decision on any replacement would need to be made before the summer break following the Hungarian Grand Prix.[15][16]

Relocation to Sepang

[edit]
The Sepang International Circuit played host to the event.

On 24 July, the Malaysian youth and sports minister Mohammed Taufiq Johari announced that the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Ministry of Youth and Sports had received preliminary information about the possibility of Sepang hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix. The ministry was discussing and assessing the proposal, with further developments to be announced after a decision had been finalised.[17] Formula One had outlined the logistical requirements for staging a Grand Prix rather than presenting Malaysian authorities with a confirmed event. Although Sepang retained the FIA Grade 1 licence required for Formula One and continued to host the Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix, organising a Formula One race at short notice would require additional work.[18] Reuters reported that multiple replacement venues were being assessed and that no decision had been made.[15]

On 26 July, Formula One and the FIA announced that Sepang would host the Bahrain Grand Prix from 2 to 4 October. The agreement was reached with the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia, and the remainder of the 2026 calendar was left unchanged.[1] The addition produced a 23-race schedule, with the event forming part of a run of three consecutive race weekends alongside Azerbaijan and Singapore.[3]

Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the agreement and said that Malaysia was ready to support Bahrain, Formula One, and the FIA in staging the event.[19] Reports indicated that Bahrain would cover most of the rescheduling costs, while retaining the ticket pricing rights and race proceeds.[20][5]

Championship standings before the race

[edit]

Going into the weekend, Kimi Antonelli led the Drivers' Championship with 302 points, 66 points ahead of teammate George Russell in second and 103 ahead of Lewis Hamilton in third. Mercedes, with 538 points, led the Constructors' Championship from Ferrari and McLaren, which were second and third with 378 and 306 points, respectively.[21]

Entrants

[edit]

The drivers and teams were the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race.[22]

Tyre choices

[edit]

Tyre supplier Pirelli selected its C2, C3, and C4 compounds—the middle three in its range—for the event, designating them as hard, medium, and soft, respectively.[23]

Penalties

[edit]

Franco Colapinto (Alpine) carried a five-place grid penalty for causing a collision at the previous Azerbaijan Grand Prix.[24]

Practice

[edit]

Three free practice sessions were held for the event.[25] The first free practice session was held on 2 October 2026, at 12:30 local time (UTC+8), and was topped by Max Verstappen (Red Bull) ahead of George Russell (Mercedes) and Verstappen's teammate Isack Hadjar.[26] The second free practice session was held on the same day, at 16:00 local time, and was topped by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) ahead of Hadjar and Lando Norris (McLaren). A virtual safety car was deployed in the closing minutes after Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) stopped on track.[27] The third free practice session was held on 3 October 2026, at 12:30 local time, and was topped by Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) ahead of Verstappen and Hadjar. The session was briefly red-flagged due to debris on track from the car of Oliver Bearman (Haas).[28]

Qualifying

[edit]

Qualifying was held on 3 October 2026, at 16:00 local time (UTC+8), and determined the starting grid order for the race.[25]

Qualifying report

[edit]

In the first segment of qualifying (Q1), Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman (Haas) left the pits early as the team planned to use three sets of soft tyres.[29] Ferrari and Audi initially opted for medium tyres, while the remaining teams used softs.[30] Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) set the early pace before Max Verstappen (Red Bull) moved ahead, with Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) and teammate Charles Leclerc taking second and third on mediums.[30] Bearman's second attempt was compromised by a lock-up at turn 1.[30] During the closing runs, Pierre Gasly (Alpine) gave teammate Franco Colapinto a tow, while Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) moved into eighth after setting the fastest opening sector.[30] Audi switched to soft tyres for its final attempts, but Bortoleto's teammate Nico Hülkenberg was unable to progress.[31] Hülkenberg and Alexander Albon (Williams) both made mistakes at the penultimate corner on their final laps.[32] Hülkenberg was eliminated in 17th, behind Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), followed by Bearman, Ocon, Albon and the Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez.[33] Ocon, the first driver to take the chequered flag, subsequently questioned the timing of his final run.[32] Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) reached Q2 for the first time that season, joining teammate Fernando Alonso.[32]

Verstappen set the pace in the second segment (Q2), with Leclerc initially his closest challenger as Ferrari switched to soft tyres.[30][31] Antonelli's opening lap was deleted for exceeding track limits at turn 6, forcing him to use another set of new softs to secure his progression.[34] His subsequent effort placed him second, behind Verstappen and ahead of Leclerc.[33] Verstappen and Alonso both received black-and-white warning flags for driving unnecessarily slowly.[31] With a grid penalty already consigning him to the back, Lindblad gave teammate Liam Lawson a tow along the back straight.[32] Lawson briefly occupied the final Q3 place, but Bortoleto displaced him on his last attempt.[31][33] Lawson was eliminated in 11th, followed by Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams), Stroll, Colapinto and Lindblad; the latter two did not record a time in Q2.[33] Alonso's 12th place was his best qualifying result of the season, on the first occasion that year that both Aston Martins had reached Q2.[34] Colapinto's combined 15-place grid penalty—five places for causing a collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and ten for exceeding his allocation of power unit elements—left him 21st on the starting grid, ahead of Lindblad, who received a 30-place penalty for power unit changes.[35]

In the final segment (Q3), George Russell (Mercedes) set the initial benchmark before Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar took the top two positions on their opening attempts.[31][34] Having used an additional set of tyres in Q2, Antonelli had only one set of new softs available and made his run between his rivals' two attempts, briefly moving into third.[29][30] Verstappen improved on his final attempt by setting the fastest final sector, despite failing to improve through the first two sectors.[34] Hamilton's final lap split the Red Bulls, securing second ahead of Hadjar, who matched his career-best qualifying position in third.[36] Verstappen was fastest in all three segments, securing his first pole position of the season and the 49th of his career.[34] It was also the first pole of 2026 for a car not powered by a Mercedes engine and the first for Red Bull Ford as an engine supplier.[37][38] Verstappen and Hamilton shared the front row for the first time since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.[36] Antonelli qualified fourth ahead of Leclerc, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (McLaren) sixth and seventh; Russell, Gasly and Bortoleto completed the top ten.[33] Hadjar's five-place grid penalty for taking a seventh internal combustion engine relegated him to eighth, promoting Antonelli, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri and Russell by one position each.[35][39]

Qualifying classification

[edit]
Pos. No. Driver Constructor Qualifying times Final
grid
Q1 Q2 Q3
1 3 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford 1:36.477 1:35.696 1:35.130 1
2 44 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:36.595 1:36.032 1:35.428 2
3 6 France Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford 1:36.898 1:36.192 1:35.558 8a
4 12 Italy Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:37.041 1:35.959 1:35.631 3
5 16 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:36.730 1:35.970 1:35.666 4
6 1 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren-Mercedes 1:37.092 1:36.173 1:35.757 5
7 81 Australia Oscar Piastri McLaren-Mercedes 1:36.852 1:36.020 1:35.762 6
8 63 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 1:37.264 1:36.245 1:35.871 7
9 10 France Pierre Gasly Alpine-Mercedes 1:37.174 1:36.410 1:37.210 9
10 5 Brazil Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:37.106 1:36.814 1:37.673 10
11 30 New Zealand Liam Lawson Racing Bulls-Red Bull Ford 1:37.332 1:37.023 N/A 11
12 14 Spain Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Aramco-Honda 1:37.721 1:37.220 N/A 12
13 55 Spain Carlos Sainz Jr. Atlassian Williams-Mercedes 1:37.651 1:37.527 N/A 13
14 18 Canada Lance Stroll Aston Martin Aramco-Honda 1:37.729 1:37.566 N/A 14
15 43 Argentina Franco Colapinto Alpine-Mercedes 1:37.179 No time N/A 21b
16 41 United Kingdom Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls-Red Bull Ford 1:37.883 No time N/A 22c
17 27 Germany Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:37.970 N/A N/A 15
18 87 United Kingdom Oliver Bearman Haas-Ferrari 1:37.980 N/A N/A 16
19 31 France Esteban Ocon Haas-Ferrari 1:38.233 N/A N/A 17
20 23 Thailand Alexander Albon Atlassian Williams-Mercedes 1:38.600 N/A N/A 18
21 77 Finland Valtteri Bottas Cadillac-Ferrari 1:38.611 N/A N/A 19
22 11 Mexico Sergio Pérez Cadillac-Ferrari 1:38.933 N/A N/A 20
107% time: 1:43.230
Sources:[33][39]

Notes

  • ^a – Isack Hadjar received a five-place grid penalty for exceeding his quota of power unit elements.[39][40]
  • ^b – Franco Colapinto received a five-place grid penalty for causing a collision at the previous Azerbaijan Grand Prix.[39][24] He also received a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his quota of power unit elements.[39][41]
  • ^c – Arvid Lindblad received a 30-place grid penalty for exceeding his quota of power unit elements.[39][42]

Race

[edit]

The race was held on 4 October 2026, and was scheduled to start at 15:00 local time (UTC+8). Heavy rain initially delayed the start to 15:40, but technical problems during the subsequent starting procedure caused a further delay. The race eventually began at 16:33 and was reduced from 56 to 55 laps.[25]

Race report

[edit]

Heavy rain before the scheduled 15:00 start left standing water on the circuit and delayed the starting procedure.[43] At 15:40, the field set off on formation laps behind the safety car, with all drivers having selected intermediate tyres.[44] Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) slid into the gravel at turn 3 but rejoined, while several cars experienced difficulty accelerating and were stalling on track.[45] Max Verstappen (Red Bull) reported a loss of throttle response, and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) briefly stopped on the circuit; Ferrari attributed Hamilton's problem to software and restored power with a reset.[45]

The starting procedure was suspended under the red flag after two formation laps, and the cars returned to the pit lane without a racing start having taken place.[46] This was the first rain-affected race under the new power unit regulations.[46] Although the technical problems had disrupted the running order, the FIA confirmed that the original grid positions would be restored.[47] During the interruption, Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord said that the FIA had supplied teams with revised software parameters.[46] The field left the pit lane behind the safety car at 16:33, 93 minutes after the scheduled start.[48]

By then, the drying circuit prompted different tyre choices: nine drivers selected intermediates, while the remaining thirteen chose slicks, including both Ferraris on softs and both McLarens on mediums.[49] Pierre Gasly (Alpine), running on slick tyres, spun during the opening lap behind the safety car.[49] Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) stopped after the first lap, while Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg (both Audi), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) stopped after the second to change to intermediates, with Sergio Pérez also stopping again on the second consecutive lap.[44][50] Unlike the earlier aborted formation laps, these laps counted towards the race, and a standing start followed at the end of lap 2.[51]

Kimi Antonelli and George Russell (Mercedes) passed Verstappen to take first and second, while Verstappen resisted Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) to retain third.[44] The drivers who remained on slicks lost ground, with Hamilton falling as low as 18th and more than a minute behind the leaders.[52] Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) damaged his front wing in contact with Hülkenberg and pitted for a replacement and intermediates; Hamilton, however, chose to continue on his original soft tyres despite Ferrari suggesting a stop.[51] Verstappen passed Russell at turn 4 on lap 6, while Hadjar overtook Lawson at the final corner to move into fourth.[49]

As conditions improved, Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) spun into the gravel, prompting a safety car deployment.[49] Most drivers used the interruption to change tyres, with the Mercedes pair selecting mediums, the Red Bulls softs and Lawson hards.[51] Hamilton stayed out on his original softs, and the safety car eliminated much of the time he had lost during the opening laps.[53] Racing resumed on lap 13, when Verstappen challenged Antonelli around the outside of turn 1 and completed the pass through turn 2; Russell then passed his teammate at turn 5.[44] Further back, Bortoleto collided with Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) at turn 2, sending Sainz into a spin; the stewards held Bortoleto responsible and imposed a ten-second penalty.[54]

Antonelli retook second from Russell at turn 4 on lap 21.[53] He subsequently ran wide at the final corner and struck a bollard while rejoining, losing further time to Verstappen.[51] Hamilton meanwhile advanced from 16th to fifth within ten laps of the restart, despite continuing on the tyres with which he had started.[55] His recovery included passes on Piastri, Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Lawson.[51] Leclerc also recovered from his early stop to reach the points positions.[49]

Hamilton closed on Hadjar, and both stopped at the end of lap 31, Hamilton making his first tyre change of the race.[50] Hamilton switched to mediums, while Hadjar took another set of softs and retained fourth; Hamilton subsequently struggled to find a way past despite closing the gap.[55] Russell stopped at the end of lap 32, followed by Verstappen and Antonelli one lap later.[50] Verstappen retained the lead through this sequence and had built an advantage of more than ten seconds before the next interruption.[52] Leclerc used an earlier stop to move ahead of both McLarens.[55] Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) overtook Lindblad at turn 2 to move into the points positions.[51]

On lap 43, Alexander Albon (Williams) stopped with a technical problem, triggering a virtual safety car.[49] Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc pitted at the end of that lap, temporarily handing the lead to Antonelli; Antonelli, Russell and Hadjar stopped on the following lap, restoring Verstappen to first.[50][55] Difficulties recovering Albon's car led to a full safety car deployment, bringing the field together again.[51] The McLarens, Lawson and Alonso stopped at the end of lap 45.[50] Ocon continued without another tyre change, leaving him on older tyres for the restart.[56]

Russell retired from third place with a power unit failure while the field remained behind the safety car.[57] During the same safety car period, Lando Norris (McLaren) lost positions after struggling to identify the slowing down of the field as Russell retired, taking avoiding action behind Piastri and running through the gravel at turn 1, dropping from eighth to eleventh.[53][58] The safety car withdrew at the end of lap 51, leaving four laps of racing, with Verstappen leading Antonelli, Hadjar and Hamilton.[51] Hamilton passed Hadjar at turn 1 on lap 53 to take third, and Leclerc overtook Hadjar at the same corner on the following lap.[49]

After 55 laps, Verstappen finished ahead of Antonelli, with Hamilton third, Leclerc fourth and Hadjar fifth.[59] Hamilton secured his first podium since the British Grand Prix.[49] Piastri and Lawson took sixth and seventh, while Alonso finished eighth for his best result of the season.[55] Norris recovered to ninth, and Lindblad passed Hülkenberg on the final lap to secure tenth, completing a double points finish for Racing Bulls.[56] Stroll finished twelfth, his best result of the season, while both Alpines and both Haas cars finished outside the points.[55][59] Russell was classified twentieth after completing 49 laps; Albon and Bottas were the other retirements.[60]

The stewards summoned Albon over alleged erratic driving at the pit entry and Hülkenberg over an alleged unsafe release.[61][62] Norris was also summoned regarding his safety car incident, including alleged erratic driving, an unsafe rejoin and overtaking behind the safety car.[63]

The victory was Verstappen's first of the season and the 72nd of his Formula One career, his first since the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and marked the first win for Red Bull Ford as an engine supplier.[64] It was also the first victory for a Ford-powered car since the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix[65] or for any engine manufacturers outside Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda, or Renault since BMW-powered BMW Sauber at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix in the hands of Robert Kubica.[citation needed] Verstappen also set the fastest lap.[60] Antonelli extended his championship lead over Russell from 66 to 84 points with seven rounds remaining.[52]

Post-race reactions and FIA review

[edit]

Several drivers criticised the disruption to the race and the complexity of the 2026 power units. George Russell (Mercedes) argued that their complexity increased the potential for failures and expressed disappointment at the experience offered to spectators by the delays and prolonged safety car periods.[66] Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) questioned the direction taken by the regulations, while Lando Norris (McLaren) criticised the reliance on electronic systems.[66] Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) described the situation as unacceptable for the sport. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), however, cautioned against assigning blame before the cause had been established.[66]

In a post-race statement, the FIA attributed the loss of power to a combination of low engine speeds, low grip, wet-weather energy management settings and the circuit's sector configuration.[67] It said its technical department had distributed a software update to all teams during the delay, removing the energy restriction in the affected sectors so that adjustments could be made before the start.[67] The FIA stated that the problem had not been detected during testing or the reconnaissance laps and announced that it would conduct a review with the teams and power unit manufacturers.[67]

Race classification

[edit]
Pos. No. Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 3 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford 55 1:47:14.808 1 25
2 12 Italy Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 55 +2.307 3 18
3 44 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 55 +4.919 2 15
4 16 Monaco Charles Leclerc Ferrari 55 +7.258 4 12
5 6 France Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing-Red Bull Ford 55 +8.571 8 10
6 81 Australia Oscar Piastri McLaren-Mercedes 55 +9.454 6 8
7 30 New Zealand Liam Lawson Racing Bulls-Red Bull Ford 55 +12.753 11 6
8 14 Spain Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Aramco-Honda 55 +13.372 12 4
9 1 United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren-Mercedes 55 +13.993 5 2
10 41 United Kingdom Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls-Red Bull Ford 55 +15.928 22 1
11 27 Germany Nico Hülkenberg Audi 55 +17.404 15
12 18 Canada Lance Stroll Aston Martin Aramco-Honda 55 +18.052 14
13 43 Argentina Franco Colapinto Alpine-Mercedes 55 +18.997 21
14 87 United Kingdom Oliver Bearman Haas-Ferrari 55 +22.305 16
15 31 France Esteban Ocon Haas-Ferrari 55 +22.532 17
16 10 France Pierre Gasly Alpine-Mercedes 55 +23.315 9
17 55 Spain Carlos Sainz Jr. Atlassian Williams-Mercedes 55 +25.431 13
18 5 Brazil Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 55 +28.233 10
19 11 Mexico Sergio Pérez Cadillac-Ferrari 55 +29.310 20
20a 63 United Kingdom George Russell Mercedes 49 Power loss 7
Ret 23 Thailand Alexander Albon Atlassian Williams-Mercedes 41 Gearbox 18
Ret 77 Finland Valtteri Bottas Cadillac-Ferrari 7 Spun off 19
Source:[39][59][68]

Notes

Championship standings after the race

[edit]
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "Formula 1 and FIA confirm Malaysia will join 2026 calendar as host venue for Bahrain Grand Prix". Formula1.com. Formula One World Championship Limited. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "F1 Returns to Malaysia with 261,000 in Attendance". GP Destinations. 5 October 2026. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Vinel, Ben (26 July 2026). "Malaysia will officially host F1's 2026 Bahrain GP". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April". Formula1.com. Formula One World Championship Limited. 14 March 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Bahrain to receive all proceeds from F1 race in Sepang". Free Malaysia Today. 28 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Kuala Lumpur". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Grands Prix Bahrain". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "No plans to bring Formula 1 GP back to Malaysia, sports minister says". Reuters. 21 August 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "F1 and FIA announce 2026 race calendar: Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix to take place from 10 to 12 April". Bahrain International Circuit. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Formula 1 reveals calendar for 2026 season". Formula 1. 10 June 2025. Archived from the original on 10 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Bahrain Grand Prix to remain in F1 until 2036". ESPN.com. 11 February 2022. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (28 February 2026). "Satellite image shows destruction of Khamenei's compound". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Piper, Imogen; Kelly, Meg; Ley, Jarrett; Ducroquet, Simon (28 February 2026). "See where U.S., Israeli strikes have hit Iran and where Iran has retaliated". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  14. ↑ Suttill, Josh; Mitchell-Malm, Scott (28 February 2026). "Pirelli cancels Bahrain F1 test due to safety concerns". The Race. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  15. 1 2 Baldwin, Alan (23 July 2026). "Malaysia back in the F1 frame as Bahrain hopes recede". Reuters. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Smith, Luke (23 July 2026). "F1 considering Malaysia return in 2026 as Middle East uncertainty continues". The Athletic, The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Yusry, Muhammad (24 July 2026). "Malaysia govt studying possible F1 return to Sepang as Bahrain replacement, says youth and sports minister". Malay Mail. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Cleeren, Filip (24 July 2026). "Malaysia investigating F1 2026 round as Bahrain plan fades". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Malaysia Ready To Welcome Back F1 After Nine Years – PM Anwar". Bernama. 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Baldwin, Alan (26 July 2026). "Malaysia to make F1 comeback in October as host of Bahrain GP". Reuters. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Azerbaijan 2026 – Championship". Stats F1. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  22. ↑ Ennser, Gerd; Remmerie, Mathieu; Lamy, Pedro; Al Hilli, Mazen (2 October 2026). "2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia – Entry List" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "Sepang reopens its doors to Formula 1 after nine years". Pirelli.com. 29 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  24. 1 2 "Infringement – Car 43 – Collision with Car 10 in Turn 1" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  25. 1 2 3 "2026 Bahrain Grand Prix". Formula 1. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  26. ↑ "FP1: Verstappen leads Russell and Hadjar during first practice at Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia". Formula1.com. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  27. ↑ "FP2: Leclerc tops second practice from Hadjar and Norris at Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia". Formula1.com. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  28. ↑ "FP3: Antonelli goes fastest from Verstappen and Hadjar during final practice at Bahrain GP in Malaysia". Formula1.com. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  29. 1 2 Phillips, James (3 October 2026). "Max Verstappen shocks Mercedes with stunning F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia pole position". Motorsport Week. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Verstappen seizes first pole position of the season in Qualifying for Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia". Formula 1. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 Woodhouse, Jamie (3 October 2026). "Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Verstappen dominates as Hamilton makes front row". PlanetF1.com. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  32. 1 2 3 4 Suttill, Josh (3 October 2026). "Verstappen takes first Red Bull F1 pole of 2026". The Race. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 – Qualifying". Formula1.com. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 Hardy, Ed (3 October 2026). "F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Max Verstappen dominates for first pole of 2026". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  35. 1 2 The Race Team (3 October 2026). "F1 Malaysia starting grid after three penalties". The Race. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  36. 1 2 Chiu, Nigel (3 October 2026). "Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to pole position to claim first Red Bull pole of 2026 Formula 1 season". Sky Sports. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  37. ↑ Larkam, Lewis (3 October 2026). "Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton for first non Mercedes-powered pole of F1 2026 at Bahrain GP in Malaysia". Crash.net. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  38. ↑ "Statistics Engines – Pole positions – By number". Stats F1. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 – Starting grid". Formula 1. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
  40. ↑ "Infringement – Car 6 – Changes to PU elements" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  41. ↑ "Infringement – Car 43 – Changes to PU elements" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  42. ↑ "Infringement – Car 41 – Changes to PU elements" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 2 October 2026. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
  43. ↑ Suttill, Josh (4 October 2026). "Start of Malaysian F1 race delayed by huge downpour". The Race. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  44. 1 2 3 4 "Verstappen wins rain-hit Bahrain GP in Malaysia over Antonelli as Russell retires late on". Formula 1. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  45. 1 2 Parkes, Ian (4 October 2026). "Lewis Hamilton involved in formation lap mayhem as Bahrain GP start suspended". RacingNews365. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  46. 1 2 3 Suttill, Josh (4 October 2026). "Malaysia F1 start attempt abandoned after multiple cars stop". The Race. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  47. ↑ Cleeren, Filip (4 October 2026). "F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia descends into chaos as car trouble prompts red flag". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  48. ↑ "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 – Race Control Messages" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Vinel, Ben (4 October 2026). "F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Max Verstappen wins in chaos as George Russell retires". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  50. 1 2 3 4 5 "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 – Race Pit Stop Summary" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  51. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Woodhouse, Jamie (4 October 2026). "Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Verstappen wins; Russell DNF; rain triggers utter chaos". PlanetF1.com. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  52. 1 2 3 "Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Max Verstappen wins first race of 2026 F1 season in wild, rain-hit Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton surges back". Sky Sports. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  53. 1 2 3 Benson, Andrew (4 October 2026). "Verstappen wins Bahrain GP in Malaysia after long delays". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 October 2026 – via AOL.
  54. ↑ "Infringement – Car 5 – Causing a collision with Car 55" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  55. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Benyon, Jack (4 October 2026). "Verstappen dominates Malaysia F1 race after early chaos". The Race. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  56. 1 2 Hart, Becky (4 October 2026). "LIVE COVERAGE: All the action from the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia". Formula 1. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  57. ↑ "Russell's championship dreams hit by cruel power unit failure in Sepang". The Straits Times. Reuters. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  58. ↑ "Norris explains moment behind Safety Car in Malaysia". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  59. 1 2 3 4 "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 – Race result". Formula 1. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  60. 1 2 "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 – Provisional Race Classification" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  61. ↑ "Summons – Car 23 – Alleged driving erratically" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  62. ↑ "Summons – Car 27 – Alleged unsafe release" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  63. ↑ "Summons – Car 1 – Alleged driving erratically" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  64. ↑ "Verstappen 'incredibly proud' of Red Bull after historic win at Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia". Formula 1. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  65. ↑ Cooper, Adam (3 October 2026). "Verstappen Targets Sepang Win After Logging Ford's First F1 Pole in 27 Years". Road & Track. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  66. 1 2 3 Suttill, Josh; Straw, Edd; Noble, Jon (4 October 2026). "Drivers say F1 'needs to look at itself' after Malaysia chaos". The Race. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  67. 1 2 3 Woodhouse, Jamie (4 October 2026). "FIA launches investigation after Bahrain Grand Prix power unit chaos". PlanetF1.com. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  68. ↑ "Bahrain 2026 – Result". Stats F1. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  69. 1 2 "Bahrain 2026 – Championship". Stats F1. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
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