Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Sepang International Circuit, clocking a competitive lap ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who qualified second in his Ferrari. sport.sky.it reported that the sixteenth round of the championship—officially designated as the Bahrain Grand Prix—was relocated to Malaysia due to regional geopolitical tensions and logistical disruptions in the Middle East.
Torrential Rain Delays the Sepang Start
Heavy downpours hit the Sepang International Circuit ahead of the scheduled race start, forcing Race Control to announce that the start of the Grand Prix would be delayed.
The air temperature stood at 26 degrees with an extreme humidity of 89 percent as dismal weather battered the venue. Before the proceedings, 500 marshals brought directly from Bahrain worked alongside local personnel, using brooms to sweep standing water off the asphalt while the safety car toured the circuit to assess conditions. The national band heroically performed a dual rendition of the Malaysian and Bahraini anthems prior to the delay. The starting procedure was later suspended entirely as too many cars entered safety mode, forcing the field to return to the pit lane because semi-electric power units experienced widespread electronic crises in the wet conditions.
Software Glitches Disrupt the Formation Lap
Max Verstappen similarly flagged throttle irregularities during the formation procedure before managing to clear the glitch. Compounding the situation for Ferrari and powertrain partners, a Haas and a Cadillac also experienced sudden shutdowns before the drivers managed to reboot their systems and limp toward the pit lane.
Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari slowed down drastically on the circuit after the driver reported accelerator issues stemming from a software fault, which the Ferrari pit wall quickly confirmed. Isack Hadjar also encountered immediate trouble, losing control of his Red Bull and sliding into the gravel trap at turn 4 where abundant water had pooled, though he managed to emerge. Following the widespread electronic failures across Ferrari-powered machinery, the departure was aborted and competitors retreated to the pit lane.
Verstappen claims pole position as grid penalties reshuffle order
The dramatic grid lineup followed a tense qualifying session on Saturday. ansa.it noted that Verstappen capitalized on a well-balanced Red Bull to claim the pole position, while Hamilton fought his way into second place during his final flying lap, finishing three decimi behind the Dutchman.
The initial qualifying order saw Isack Hadjar secure the third-fastest time for Red Bull. That penalty promoted Kimi Antonelli to third place for Mercedes, followed by Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari and Lando Norris in fifth.
Formula 1 returned to Sepang after an absence since 2017, when the venue dropped off the calendar because the local government could no longer sustain the event financially after hosting the sport for 19 years. This marks the first time a Grand Prix bearing a country’s name has been held in a location situated 6,000 kilometers away. Hamilton stated: E’ stato un peccato perché mi sono ritrovato sotto pressione, invece con una qualifica normale potevamo ambire a fare secondo o terzo, dato che Verstappen era troppo veloce per noi
, adding that he struggled with car balance on the worn asphalt and severe heat. Verstappen commented: È fantastico
and Abbiamo cercato per molti Gran Premi di ottenere una pole e quindi riuscirci finalmente è davvero incredibile. Sono contento e cercherò di vincere la gara
. Behind the leaders, the rest of the grid features Nico Hülkenberg and Oliver Bearman on the eighth row, Esteban Ocon and Alexander Albon on the ninth, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez on the tenth, and Franco Colapinto alongside Arvid Lindblad on the eleventh row.
Relocating the Bahrain Grand Prix to Malaysia due to instability
Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix being held in Malaysia?
The event was relocated nearly 6,000 kilometers away from Sakhir to the Sepang International Circuit due to geopolitical instability and maritime logistical blockades affecting the Middle East.
What caused the sudden delays and grid chaos before the race?
A heavy tropical downpour flooded parts of the track, while water intrusion triggered software faults that forced multiple Ferrari cars into safety mode during the formation lap.
Where can viewers watch the 2026 Formula 1 season in Italy?
All 24 Grands Prix, including practice, qualifying, sprint races, and main events, are broadcast live and exclusively on Sky Sport F1 and streaming via NOW.
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