Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance in qualifying to secure Red Bull Racing’s first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Dutch driver outpaced Lewis Hamilton at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, where the Bahrain Grand Prix is currently being hosted.
Verstappen topped every segment of the qualifying session and recorded two laps fast enough to claim the front-row spot, finishing 0.298 seconds ahead of Hamilton. The two rivals will line up side-by-side for Sunday’s race, marking the first time they have shared the front row since the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2023.
The race is scheduled to begin at 8am, with coverage starting at 6.30am, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event. This event marks Formula 1’s return to Malaysia for the first time since 2017.
Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar equalled his best career qualifying result by taking third place. However, he will start eighth after incurring a five-grid-place penalty for installing a new internal combustion engine.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth but dropped to fifth on the grid due to a strategic error in Q2. The Mercedes driver was forced to use an additional set of tyres earlier in the session, leaving him with only one run in Q3. Despite the setback, Antonelli maintains a 66-point lead over his Mercedes teammate George Russell in the Drivers’ Championship.
Russell, who struggled for pace throughout Saturday, qualified seventh. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth, while McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top six, though neither was competitive for pole position.
The final qualifying order saw Pierre Gasly in ninth for Alpine and Gabriel Bortoleto in tenth for Audi.
Great for Hadjar, but that engine penalty ruins his weekend. Strategic chaos from the team.
F1 returning to Sepang in 2026 is huge news for fans in Southeast Asia! Can’t wait.
0.298 seconds is a respectable gap. Hamilton looked strong, but Max was untouchable today.
Verstappen is finally finding his rhythm this year. That Red Bull pace looks much more competitive than earlier races.
Wait, Bahrain GP in Malaysia? Did I miss some major geography lesson or is the article just confused?