2026 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying: Max Verstappen takes pole position at Sepang

The 2026 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session at the Sepang International Circuit saw Max Verstappen claim his first pole position of the 2026 season. Max Verstappen took his first pole for Red Bull Racing at the Sepang International Circuit, setting a fastest lap of 1:35.130. Most drivers opened on soft tyres, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli setting an early benchmark of 1:37.041 before Max Verstappen went half a second faster on a 1:36.477.

In Q2, Kimi Antonelli had his initial lap time deleted due to track limit violations at Turn 6, forcing him back out under intense pressure. He delivered under pressure, putting together a 1:35.959 to safely advance. In Max Verstappen established control early in Q3, leaving Isack Hadjar in 2nd (+0.308s) and Lewis Hamilton in 3rd (+0.495s) after the first runs.

On the final flying laps, Lewis Hamilton extracted a brilliant sector 3 performance from his Ferrari, improving to a 1:35.428 to secure P2 on the front row alongside Verstappen. Isack Hadjar’s impressive P3 lap was tempered by an engine penalty, dropping him 5 places and promoting Antonelli to P3 and Leclerc to P4 on the starting grid.

The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix is taking place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026. The race was originally scheduled for April 12, 2026, at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. However, escalation of military conflicts across the Middle East in early 2026 raised significant safety and logistical concerns regarding team travel, freight shipments and event security.

Sepang's FIA Grade 1 status and its geographical proximity to the Asian leg of the calendar (fitting between Baku and Singapore) made it the ideal replacement venue to stage an F1 event on short notice. To fulfill hosting contract obligations and broadcast agreements, F1 arranged for the event to keep its name and title sponsorship (Gulf Air Bahrain GP) while being staged offshore.

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