Max Verstappen launched his 2026 campaign in commanding style, masterfully navigating a chaotic, rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix held uniquely at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. Relocated due to regional conflicts, the wet-weather thriller was severely disrupted by a delayed start and early electronic gremlins before finally getting underway. Polesitter Verstappen slipped back during the opening skirmishes but systematically fought his way past the front-running Mercedes cars to reclaim control of the race. Late drama shook up the podium fight when George Russell was forced to retire due to a power unit failure. That misfortune promoted Andrea Kimi Antonelli to a brilliant second place, while a charging Lewis Hamilton capped off an eventful afternoon by securing a hard-fought third for Ferrari.
