1 hr ago
Verstappen Wins First Race of 2026 After Storm-Delayed Grand Prix
Max Verstappen won a storm-hit Formula One race and took his first win of 2026.
It was also Red Bull’s first victory this year.
The race was delayed for 100 minutes because of heavy rain.
Drivers had to choose tyres as the track conditions changed.
A crash brought out the safety car, which gave teams a chance to change tyres.
Kimi Antonelli finished second, and Lewis Hamilton finished third.
The report says the race called the Bahrain Grand Prix took place at Sepang in Malaysia.
It says the original Bahrain event had been postponed because of conflict in the Middle East.
Max Verstappen won the 2026 race, earning his 72nd career victory and Red Bull’s first win of the season.
Kimi Antonelli finished second, 2.307 seconds behind Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton took third for Ferrari.
A tropical rainstorm delayed the race by 100 minutes, and changing conditions shaped teams’ tyre strategies.
Valtteri Bottas’s crash brought out the safety car on lap nine; later safety-car periods led to another round of pit stops.
The report says the race was held at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia after Bahrain’s original event was postponed because of conflict in the Middle East.
- Who
- Max Verstappen won; Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium.
- What
- Verstappen secured his first race win of 2026 and his 72nd career victory.
- Where
- Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, according to the article; the race was called the Bahrain Grand Prix.
- When
- Sunday; the report was published October 5, 2026.
- Why
- The article says Bahrain’s original race was postponed because of conflict in the Middle East; rain delayed the race start by 100 minutes.
Key facts
- Winner
- Max Verstappen
- Winning team
- Red Bull
- Victory number
- 72nd career win
- Margin
- 2.307 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli
- Second place
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Third place
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Race conditions
- A tropical rainstorm caused a 100-minute delay
- Venue as reported
- Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
Quotes
Max Verstappen
Red Bull driver and winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix
“It was very hectic with a lot of different things, but we made the right call with the inters (intermediate tyres).”
news18.com
“It was the maximum we could have done. We struggled, but I am happy to come away with P2.”
news18.com
Sources
Related news
Verstappen Wins Chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Verstappen Claims First Pole of Year at Sepang
Max Verstappen Overtakes 100 Drivers in Silverstone Kart Challenge
Formula 1 Sets Bahrain Opening for 2027 Amid Regional Uncertainty
Max Verstappen Wins 100-Kart Challenge After Epic Silverstone Comeback
Hamilton Seeks Middle East Races Amid 2026 F1 Safety Uncertainty
Russell's Title Hopes Hit by Late Mercedes Power-Unit Failure
Arvid Lindblad Charts Punjabi-Rooted Rise Toward Formula One's Top
