Verstappen wins in Malaysia as Mercedes struggles and midfield battles unfold

Max Verstappen claimed victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia, delivering Red Bull and its new Ford power unit their first win of the season. The race, the first wet-weather event of 2026, was affected by software glitches and changing conditions, but Verstappen led from pole to flag, avoiding a winless year.

Mercedes struggled with its upgraded W17, which appeared slower on Sepang’s hot, abrasive surface. Kimi Antonelli, who finished third, said the team was unsure whether the changes improved performance. The team also suffered a reliability failure when George Russell's engine failed near the race end, costing him a podium finish.

Lewis Hamilton recovered from an early tyre-strategy error to finish on the podium, praising his pace after switching to slick tyres but criticizing the initial gamble.

McLaren’s form declined sharply despite recent upgrades, with driver Lando Norris hampered by recurring power-unit issues and both cars starting on slicks as the track dried more slowly than expected.

In the midfield, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson secured a strong result, while teammate Arvid Lindblad earned a point after an engine penalty. Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg missed a point when a late safety-car period disrupted his strategy, and teammate Gabriel Bortoleto received a penalty after a collision with Carlos Sainz.

Fernando Alonso finished in the points for Aston Martin, noting the team’s improved chassis balance compared with earlier races and expressing optimism for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.

"We don’t really know if it made us go faster or worse," said Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes. "For us to get back to the podium, I never thought that was going to be the case," said Lewis Hamilton. "The picture changed very rapidly," said McLaren’s team principal. "We definitely got the basics right today," said Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane. "Man, I was eating my steering wheel in that moment," recalled Nico Hulkenberg. "It was a bit frustrating to be overtaking in the last lap again," said racing director Allan McNish. "There are not many weekends where we can score points and in those weekends we cannot have any mistakes," said Fernando Alonso.