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SEPANG - Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen rekindled his love affair with the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) by clinching his maiden victory of the season in a dramatic and chaotic Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix (GP) here today.
The Dutchman, who won the last Malaysian GP staged at the iconic circuit in 2017, once again proved his fondness for Sepang by emerging triumphant after a rain-hit and action-packed race.
The 29-year-old’s victory came after a dramatic start to the race, with the scheduled 3 pm start delayed by 93 minutes due to heavy rain and standing water on the circuit.
Although the formation lap got underway at 3.40 pm, the race was immediately red-flagged and the starting procedure suspended in accordance with the International Automobile Federation (FIA) regulations.
This came after several drivers encountered difficulties in the treacherous conditions, including Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who suffered a software problem that resulted in the seven-time world champion being overtaken by several cars.
When the race finaly got underway, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s Kimi Antonelli made a blistering start from third on the grid to first to take the lead from pole-sitter Verstappen.
Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, also made an impressive getaway, surging from seventh to second before Verstappen overtook him on the sixth lap.
Hamilton, meanwhile, endured a tough start as he dropped to 10th after starting second on the grid.
The Safety Car was deployed on the ninth lap after Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas spun off and was stranded in the gravel.
After the Safety Car returned to the pits, Verstappen wasted no time in making his move on Antonelli to reclaim the lead.
The Dutchman, who last tasted victory at the Abu Dhabi GP in December, 2025, gradually pulled away from the chasing pack, building a 10-second advantage over Antonelli by the 33rd lap, while Hamilton climbed to fifth.
The race was thrown into further turmoil when the Safety Car was brought out again after Williams’ Alex Albon suffered a gearbox problem and was forced to stop his car near the barriers, with a tractor needed to remove his stricken car.
Russell’s Mercedes also came to halt near the pit exit with five laps remaining due to a power unit issue, but Verstappen kept his Red Bull going until the chequered flag to secure a memorable victory and deny Antoneli a ninth win of the season.
Hamilton, who had spent much of the race chasing Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar, eventually overtook the French-Algerian driver on Lap 53 to move into third and secure a podium finish.
In July, Formula 1 confirmed Malaysia as the host of the Gulf Air Bahrain GP from Oct 2 to 4 following an agreement involving Formula 1, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain.
The agreement kept the Bahrain GP on the 2026 F1 calendar after the race was cancelled earlier in the season due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
SIC hosted the Malaysian GP from 1999 until 2017, and Verstappen’s latest triumph showed once again that Sepang remains a circuit capable of producing unforgettable F1 drama. - BERNAMA
