Verstappen Makes Sepang His Again as Red Bull Break Their 2026 Duck

Sepang gave Formula 1 the kind of Sunday that asks everyone to stay patient. Rain delayed the start, the track kept changing its mind and the first plan had to be reconsidered before a full racing lap was even underway. When the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia finally settled into its 56-lap shape, Max Verstappen was the driver who could make speed and judgement feel like the same thing. He led Red Bull to its first win of the 2026 season, with Kimi Antonelli second and Lewis Hamilton third.

The result arrived after a weekend that had not pointed neatly towards Verstappen. Charles Leclerc had set the pace in Friday’s second practice, with Hadjar and Norris close behind. Verstappen was fastest in the first session, then used the afternoon to explore longer runs. Those Friday images now carry a different mood. They show the familiar preparation, before rain turned the race into a test of timing and nerve.

A start delayed by the weather

Heavy rain pushed the schedule back and left the field waiting while the circuit drained. The opening attempt was suspended, and the drivers returned to the grid only once conditions allowed the race to begin safely. That pause can make a Grand Prix feel longer before the contest has really started. Inside the garages, the work is immediate: check the radar, reconsider the tyre plan and be ready for the track to change again under the cars.

When the race got moving, the early laps were about finding a usable line. Water remained in places where the surface looked ready, while the racing line dried in patches. A driver could gain time by trusting the grip, but the reward depended on knowing where that grip would still be there at the next braking zone. It was an afternoon in which confidence had to be renewed corner by corner.

Verstappen found a way past Antonelli

Antonelli had the sort of race that makes a second place feel substantial. He held the front group together, responded to pressure and stayed close enough to make Verstappen earn the victory. A safety-car phase brought another strategic pause. Once racing resumed, Verstappen found his opportunity and moved ahead. The lead was never allowed to become comfortable, yet the Red Bull driver kept enough control to manage the final laps.

The margin at the finish was 2.307 seconds. It is a small space in a wet race, especially one where a short-lived patch of grip can change the balance of the car. Antonelli had been in position to win, and his second place is a reminder of how quickly a young driver can turn a difficult weekend into a mature result. He stayed composed through the restart and gave Verstappen a reason to keep pushing all the way to the flag.

Hamilton and Leclerc worked their way forward

Hamilton completed the podium in third after a patient recovery drive. He had to balance the urge to attack against the risk of asking too much from a surface that could still surprise him. The result gave Ferrari a strong Sunday after Leclerc had set the benchmark in Friday practice. Leclerc also brought his race back into the top five, finishing fourth, with Hadjar fifth after another assured weekend at the front of the midfield.

Oscar Piastri was sixth, followed by Liam Lawson and Fernando Alonso. Norris crossed the line ninth, with rookie Arvid Lindblad taking the final point in tenth. In a race shaped by rain and interruption, the order contains several different kinds of achievement. Some drivers preserved position. Others built their result through recovery. Lindblad’s point gave the closing place in the top ten a story of its own.

A first win that resets the season’s rhythm

For Verstappen and Red Bull, the significance reaches beyond the trophy. This was their first victory of the year, arriving after a run of weekends in which the team had been searching for the right combination of set-up and race execution. A win in changing conditions does not answer every question about the car, though it gives the group a clear reference point. The work now has a result to build from.

Antonelli’s championship lead over Russell grew by three points after Russell retired late. It is a narrow shift, and one that will be interpreted differently by the two Mercedes garages. Antonelli leaves with a podium and another demonstration of his composure. Russell leaves with no points from a weekend that had promised more. The season rarely waits for either driver to process the difference.

The paddock now turns towards Singapore, scheduled for 9 to 11 October. Sepang was a race of delayed decisions and moving grip. The next round will ask for a different kind of precision on a street circuit, where there is less room to recover from a mistake. For now, the image from Malaysia is simple: Verstappen and Red Bull back at the top, with Antonelli close enough to make the win feel hard won.