Max Verstappen secured the 49th pole position of his Formula 1 career and his first since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last season, clocking a lap time of 1:35,130 at the Sepang International Circuit during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, m4sport.hu reported. The Red Bull driver closed the gap to Sebastian Vettel to eight poles in the all-time standings while also marking the first-ever pole position for Red Bull Powertrains, as noted by m4sport.hu.
Verstappen Shares Front Row with Hamilton After Qualifying
Verstappen will share the front row with Lewis Hamilton, who posted a 1:35,428 in the Ferrari SF-26, according to Formula.hu data. This marks the first time the two multi-world champions have started alongside each other on the front row since their title showdown at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, according to nemzetisport.hu. Behind them, Andrea Kimi Antonelli qualified third for Mercedes with a 1:35,631, while Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari at 1:35,666 after Isack Hadjar received a five-place grid penalty, Formula.hu reported.
Grid Penalties Shuffle the Field Behind Red Bull
Isack Hadjar originally qualified third with a 1:35,558, but a five-place grid penalty for changing his internal combustion engine dropped the Red Bull rookie to the eighth starting spot, according to m4sport.hu and Formula.hu. The penalty promoted Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to the fifth and sixth grid positions for McLaren, marking the team’s worst starting positions since Monza in terms of missing out on the top three with both cars, m4sport.hu stated. George Russell lines up seventh in the second Mercedes after recording his worst qualifying result of the season outside the top six, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top ten.
Aston Martin and Midfield Standouts in Sepang
Aston Martin achieved a season-high performance by getting both cars into the second qualifying session (Q2), m4sport.hu reported. Fernando Alonso secured the 12th starting position with a 1:37,220, surpassing his previous Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying best of 16th, while teammate Lance Stroll advanced past Q1 for the first time this year to take 14th on the grid, according to m4sport.hu and Formula.hu. Carlos Sainz qualified 13th for Williams, continuing a streak of four consecutive weekend appearances in the top 14, m4sport.hu noted.
Engine Penalties Send Back Markers to the Rear
The back of the grid underwent a substantial shake-up due to pre-race component changes and previous incidents, according to m4sport.hu. Franco Colapinto received a 10-place grid penalty for an engine change in addition to a five-place drop carried over from Baku, relegating the Alpine driver to 21st place, Formula.hu detailed. Arvid Lindblad incurred a 30-place grid penalty for a power unit change, sending the Racing Bulls driver straight to the back of the 22-car formation alongside Colapinto, as confirmed by Formula.hu.
Mercedes Cars Pass Verstappen at Race Start
The race itself delivered immediate chaos when the two Mercedes cars swept past Verstappen off the line, leaving Antonelli to lead Russell through the opening corners while Verstappen fended off Liam Lawson, nemzetisport.hu reported. Charles Leclerc pitted early for intermediate tires after contact with Nico Hülkenberg damaged his front wing, while Valtteri Bottas triggered a safety car on the ninth lap after spinning and beaching his Cadillac in the gravel trap, according to nemzetisport.hu.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Sepang Race Weekend
Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix being held in Malaysia?
Formula 1 is racing at Sepang for the first time since 2017, staging the event under the banner of the Bahrain Grand Prix, according to reports from nemzetisport.hu and Formula.hu.
How many grid penalties did Franco Colapinto receive?
Franco Colapinto was handed a total of 15 grid penalties—five positions carried over from a crash in Baku and ten positions for a subsequent engine change, Formula.hu records show.
What was notable about Ford’s return to the front row?
The pole position achieved by Verstappen and Red Bull Powertrains marks the first time a Ford-badged engine has started from the front row since the 1999 French Grand Prix, when Rubens Barrichello qualified on pole for the Stewart team, m4sport.hu stated.