Max Verstappen Triumphs in Rain-Soaked Bahrain GP

Max Verstappen Triumphs in Rain-Soaked Bahrain GP | Daily Tribune

It was far from an easy race, however.

Heavy rain delayed the start and left the Sepang track with standing water and slippery conditions. For F1 fans, the changing weather also meant one thing: tyre strategy would become one of the biggest factors of the race.

The race was originally scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. local time, but the rain forced officials to delay the start. The first formation lap was eventually held behind the Safety Car, but trouble quickly began to appear as several drivers struggled with their cars in the wet conditions.

Isack Hadjar went off into the gravel, while Verstappen and Hamilton also reported power-related problems. Hamilton eventually stopped on the start-finish straight before Ferrari managed to get his car going again. The starting procedure was then suspended and the drivers returned to the pit lane while officials worked on the situation.

After a lengthy wait, a second formation procedure was scheduled and the drivers were given another chance to get the race underway.

This time, the field lined up with a split in tyre strategy. Verstappen and both Mercedes cars were among those on intermediate tyres, while Hamilton and Leclerc were among the drivers who gambled on slick soft tyres despite the track still being wet. Other drivers, including Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, started on mediums.

Once the lights finally went out, it was immediate chaos into Turn 1.

Antonelli and his Mercedes teammate George Russell made the most of their intermediate tyres to jump Verstappen, with Antonelli taking the lead while Russell moved into second. Verstappen was pushed back but quickly began fighting his way back toward the front.

Meanwhile, Ferrari's gamble was clearly not paying off.

Hamilton and Leclerc struggled for grip on the still-wet track, dropping down the order. Leclerc eventually switched from softs to intermediates, while Hamilton chose to stay out and gamble on his slick tyres. The decision left Hamilton more than a minute behind the leaders at one point, but as the track dried, the Ferrari began finding more pace.

Then came the first major turning point of the race.

On Lap 9, Valtteri Bottas lost control of his Cadillac on the wet track and ended up in the gravel, bringing out the Safety Car. This gave the intermediate runners the opportunity to switch to slick tyres as the track continued to dry.

Verstappen took advantage of the pit stop window and emerged on soft tyres. When racing resumed, he wasted little time making his way past Russell and Antonelli, eventually reclaiming the lead.

From there, Verstappen began to build a gap, but the race was far from over.

A Virtual Safety Car was later brought out after Alex Albon's Williams stopped on track, followed by another full Safety Car as marshals worked to clear the car. The interruptions bunched the field together once again and forced teams to rethink their tyre strategies.

Verstappen and Antonelli both made another stop, with Verstappen eventually returning to the lead. Hamilton, meanwhile, continued his remarkable recovery after his disastrous opening stint and worked his way into podium contention.

And just when it looked like Mercedes could finish with two cars on the podium, another problem struck.

George Russell, who had spent much of the race running inside the top three, was forced to retire late in the race after his Mercedes suffered an apparent power unit issue. His retirement opened the door for Hamilton to move into third and complete an unlikely comeback from his early-race struggles.

With the final Safety Car period behind them, Verstappen managed the restart and kept Antonelli at bay until the chequered flag.

After 55 laps, Verstappen crossed the line 2.307 seconds ahead of Antonelli, with Hamilton only another 2.612 seconds behind in third.

The victory was Verstappen's first of the 2026 season and Red Bull's first win of the campaign. It was also the maiden victory for Red Bull Ford Powertrains under Formula 1's new 2026 power-unit regulations.

For Antonelli, second place further strengthened his position at the top of the Drivers' Championship. Russell's late retirement, meanwhile, dealt another blow to his title hopes, with Antonelli extending his championship advantage to 84 points.

What started as a rain-delayed race filled with technical problems ended as one of the most unpredictable races of the 2026 season — and a reminder that at Sepang, the weather can change the entire race before the first proper lap is even completed.