Red Bull secures pole while Mercedes faces qualifying woes in Malaysia

Max Verstappen put Red Bull back on pole for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, marking the team's first non-Mercedes-powered pole of the 2026 season. Verstappen topped each qualifying session and secured the front row with a three-tenths margin over teammate Isack Hadjar, who will start five places back.

Mercedes suffered a disappointing qualifying, with George Russell finishing fourth and Kimi Antonelli eighth – the team's worst showing since Hungary. Team principal Toto Wolff said the car felt “very draggy” and suffered from under-steer on the low-speed Turn 2, adding that “it’s the first time that we’re losing a lot of time on the straights, especially to Max.” Both drivers blamed the abrasive tarmac and high temperatures for the difficulty, with Antonelli noting the team has historically struggled on “very open tarmac.”

Lewis Hamilton qualified second for Ferrari, describing the car’s setup as “perfect” and highlighting how small changes to wing angles or ride height can dramatically affect performance on the circuit.

Aston Martin recorded its best qualifying performance of the season, with Fernando Alonso just missing Q3 and Lance Stroll qualifying 14th. Alonso called the result a “miracle” given the pace of rival cars and said the team’s B-spec chassis and upgraded Honda ADUO 2 engine were helping the car become more competitive.

Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto advanced to Q3, finishing tenth, after the team refined its upgrade package following a poor showing in Baku. Bottas, driving for the upgraded Ferrari-powered Cadillac, qualified 21st, noting the new engine provided a noticeable, if modest, improvement.

Williams’ Alex Albon and Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman both struggled, finishing 20th and 18th-19th respectively, citing setup errors and part quality issues. Nico Hülkenberg also missed out on Q3 after a mistake at Turn 14, leaving him 17th.

“All the numbers say it’s an improvement,” Russell said, “but the result wasn’t.” “The car is exactly the same as the last four rounds, so it depends on the circuit layout and the amount of straights we have,” Alonso added. “These cars are so sensitive; you make the smallest change and it’s ridiculous the difference it can make,” Hamilton explained. “There is a difference. It’s not a huge difference, but there is a difference, so it’s nice to have it,” Bottas said of the new engine. “If we need to do a pitlane start tomorrow, so be it,” Albon remarked. “Disappointed with myself, didn’t put the lap together,” Hülkenberg said.