Ranzi Sports

Max Verstappen delivered a statement performance at the Sepang International Circuit on Saturday, taking pole position for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The Red Bull driver produced a superb Q3 lap of 1:35.130 to secure his first pole of the season, edging Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds. The result also marked the first pole of the 2026 season for a car not powered by Mercedes.

Verstappen was in control throughout the final qualifying segment, setting the benchmark when it mattered most. Hamilton responded strongly with a 1:35.428, but the Ferrari driver could not quite match Verstappen’s final sector. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar impressed again to qualify third with a 1:35.558, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took fourth, only 0.501 seconds away from pole. Charles Leclerc completed the top five for Ferrari, with a 1:35.666.

The rest of the top ten featured a closely matched midfield battle. Lando Norris qualified sixth for McLaren, followed by team-mate Oscar Piastri in seventh. George Russell placed eighth for Mercedes, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri were separated by only small margins in the leading group. However, Hadjar will move down the grid after a power-unit penalty, promoting the cars behind him by one position. McLaren confirmed that Norris would start sixth and Piastri seventh, with the team set to begin from the third row after the penalty adjustment.

Earlier in FP3, Antonelli had given Mercedes plenty of encouragement by topping the final practice session. The Italian set a 1:36.302, finishing 0.278 seconds ahead of Verstappen and 0.558 seconds ahead of Hadjar. Russell was fourth, followed by Leclerc and Hamilton, while Norris and Piastri placed seventh and eighth respectively. Antonelli’s pace was particularly notable after a difficult Friday, suggesting Mercedes had made useful progress with setup and tyre preparation ahead of qualifying.formula1+1

FP3 also showed how close the leading teams were around Sepang’s long straights and demanding high-speed corners. Ferrari placed both cars inside the top six, while McLaren remained within a second of the benchmark despite not matching the outright pace of Mercedes and Red Bull. Franco Colapinto was the leading driver outside the established front-running teams in ninth, with Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad completing the top ten. Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly were also within the next group, pointing to a potentially competitive midfield in Sunday’s race.

With Verstappen starting from pole, Hamilton alongside him and two Red Bulls and two Mercedes cars close behind, the Sepang race is set up for a fascinating strategic battle. Verstappen will be aiming to convert his first pole of the year into a victory, while Hamilton will look to use Ferrari’s straight-line speed to challenge him into the opening corners. Antonelli’s FP3 pace adds another element of uncertainty, and with the tropical heat, tyre management and Sepang’s long lap placing heavy demands on the cars, the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia could produce a dramatic contest from lights out to the chequered flag.