Max Verstappen Wins Rain-Hit Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as Russell Retires Late

SEPANG, Malaysia. Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Sunday, converting pole into the first win of the season for himself and Red Bull Racing at the Sepang International Circuit. Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes, 2.307 seconds back, and teammate George Russell retired with an engine failure behind the final Safety Car.

The race was moved to Sepang after Formula 1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia reached an agreement in July that preserved a Grand Prix that otherwise would not have happened, according to Formula 1.

"It's a really nice one, after the year that we've had and the progression that we've made," Verstappen said. "I'm incredibly proud of everyone, and it's just super nice to win here. We made the right call with the intermediates, and after that, step by step, we moved our way forward."

Rain, intermediates and a well-timed Safety Car

Heavy rain delayed the start, and the first start procedure was suspended after several drivers struggled to keep speed on the formation lap. When the race got going in mixed conditions, Verstappen lost the lead to Antonelli and Russell on the run to Turn 1, with all three on intermediates. He picked off both Mercedes either side of a Safety Car for a Valtteri Bottas spin.

That Safety Car was the ideal window for the intermediate starters to switch to slicks, and the drivers who had started on slicks were caught out. The expected rain never returned. Verstappen pulled away and controlled a late Virtual Safety Car and Safety Car.

Russell's car stopped on the start-finish straight behind that final Safety Car, another blow to his slim title chances.

Ferrari's comeback

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both started on slicks and dropped toward the back, then recovered to third and fourth for Ferrari. Isack Hadjar fell from third to fifth in the closing laps.

Oscar Piastri was sixth for McLaren, ahead of Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls and Fernando Alonso, who took eighth for Aston Martin. Lando Norris lost control behind the Safety Car and ran through the gravel, finishing ninth, and rookie Arvid Lindblad took the last point. Nico Hulkenberg was 11th for Audi, and both Haas cars finished outside the points. Pierre Gasly nearly crashed on the formation lap on slicks but rejoined and finished 16th.

Antonelli was already set to gain three points on Russell before the Briton's car stopped, and the retirement turned a small gain into a big one. Antonelli had called Baku the worst weekend of his season a week earlier, and he left Sepang with a bigger lead.

For more, see Formula 1's race report (opens in a new tab).

This was Round 16 of the 2026 season. It came after Russell's win in Baku and before Verstappen's first Marina Bay win. For the full title picture, see our 2026 F1 standings breakdown.

Sources: Formula 1. More Formula 1 coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing via X