Kuala Lumpur : Max Verstappen secured pole position for the historic Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 at Sepang International Circuit.
The Red Bull Racing superstar captured the leading grid position for Sunday’s 56-lap race after registering a best lap time of 1min 35.130secs during today’s Q3 session in qualifying. Verstappen was 0.298secs quicker than Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who will be starting beside him on the front row.
Isack Hadjar in the other Red Bull Racing car qualified in third place 0.428s back, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was fourth 0.501s off the pace.
Fifth through 10th, respectively, in Q3 were Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (+0.536s), McLaren’s Lando Norris (+0.627s) and Oscar Piastri (+0.632s), Mercedes’ George Russell (+0.741s), Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (+2.080s), and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto (+2.543s).
Dropping out of the fight for pole in Q2 were Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Williams’ Carlos Sainz, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad.
In Q1, eliminated were Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg, Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, Williams’ Alexander Albon, and Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
The F1 stage is now set for Sunday’s 56-lap grand prix, scheduled for a 3pm start local time/10am Bahrain time.
Earlier today in the third and final practice session of the weekend, Antonelli put Mercedes atop the timesheet with a fastest lap of 1:36.302, beating Verstappen by 0.278 seconds. Hadjar ranked third 0.558s adrift.
