Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix held at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit on Saturday. Verstappen posted the fastest time in qualifying, edging out Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Isack Hadjar, qualified third, 0.130 seconds behind Hamilton. This marks a significant milestone for Verstappen as he aims to avoid a winless season for the first time since his 2015 rookie year.
“It’s an incredible result for us looking at the season,” Verstappen said after qualifying. “I felt good, felt confident and I hope we can show that again tomorrow.” Verstappen previously won the last Formula 1 race held at Sepang in 2017. His pole position is also notable as it is the first this season for a car powered by a non-Mercedes engine. Until now, Mercedes-powered teams—including Mercedes, McLaren, and Alpine—had dominated all qualifying sessions.
Formula 1 standings leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes qualified fourth, while his closest title contender and Mercedes teammate, George Russell, was only eighth on the grid. Both drivers are expected to move up one position for Sunday’s race due to Hadjar’s five-place penalty for exceeding his season allocation of engine changes. Hamilton’s second-place qualification marked a positive turn for the seven-time world champion amid a recent performance slump at Ferrari, where speculation about team principal Fred Vasseur's future has been consistently denied. Over the radio, Hamilton expressed relief and enthusiasm, saying, “Let’s go guys, let’s go. Finally.”
The Sepang circuit proved challenging for tire management due to its abrasive surface and high temperatures, which cause rapid tire wear and overheating. Russell highlighted these difficulties, noting the circuit’s demanding nature on tires with “extremely rough” tarmac and heat, which seemed to disproportionately affect the Mercedes teams. “For whatever reason, it seems to be affecting us far more than others,” Russell told Sky Sports after qualifying.
Weather conditions remained dry throughout Saturday’s sessions, despite earlier forecasts calling for heavy rain. The return of the Bahrain Grand Prix under its traditional branding in Malaysia’s Sepang circuit marks the first time F1 has raced there since 2017. This event serves as a replacement after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races were canceled earlier in the year due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The Grand Prix is organized locally by Bahraini staff on-site. The race will take place on Sunday, as teams look to gain critical points in the championship standings.