Verstappen Masters Sepang Chaos for First Win of the Season

Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass in chaos to win the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang on Sunday — his first victory of the 2026 season and the 72nd of his Formula 1 career. The Red Bull driver mastered mixed conditions and late Safety Car restarts to hold off championship leader Kimi Antonelli in a race that was anything but straightforward.

The start was delayed by more than 90 minutes after a torrential downpour soaked the track, followed by a bizarre software bug that stalled several cars on the formation lap. When racing finally began, Verstappen seized control — only for George Russell's late retirement from podium contention to trigger a Safety Car that bunched the field for a tense finish.

Lewis Hamilton completed the podium for Ferrari after a stunning recovery from a poor start. The race, relocated from Bahrain amid regional tensions, was F1's first at Sepang since 2017 — and the 105,000 fans in attendance witnessed a classic.