Verstappen breaks pole drought with Malaysia success ahead of Hamilton
Max Verstappen seized provisional pole early in F1 qualifying and remained untouchable, claiming the top spot on the grid with a time of 1:35.130s as the rest of the field failed to shake his benchmark around the demanding streets of Sepang.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton delivered a stellar lap to join his former championship rival on the front row at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Max Verstappen celebrates his pole position. Sona Maleterova
Despite the strong result, Hamilton offered a candid assessment of the stifling Malaysian conditions, admitting after the race that the “tyres are overheating from the get-go.”
Verstappen’s pole was the first pole in 2026 for the four-time champion and the first time a non-Mercedes powered car starts on pole this year.
This is the first time fierce rivals Hamilton and Verstappen will share the front row of the F1 grid since Hungary 2023.
Verstappen was the last driver to win a grand prix in Malaysia in 2017, in what was his second career victory, before the race was taken off the calendar.
Nine years, the Dutchman was still the man to beat in Sepang.
Red Bull stablemate Isack Hadjar initially clocked in the third-fastest time of the day, but an engine change penalty will drop him five places down the order to start eighth.
His demotion triggers a shuffle as championship leader Kimi Antonelli now inherits third place, lining up alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on the second row.
Further back, Australian Oscar Piastri originally qualified seventh.
Like his McLaren teammate, Piastri struggled to find genuine pace, but will inherit sixth place on the grid for Sunday’s grand prix as a result of Hadjar’s penalty, as Lando Norris will start next to him in sixth.
In a desperate bid to keep their tyres from overheating in the punishing heat, numerous drivers were slapped with black-and-white flags for driving “unnecessarily slow” on their out laps.
With tyre degradation already pushing teams to the limit, that battle for temperature control will undoubtedly set the tune for Sunday’s race.
Leaders Mercedes were stunned by Red Bull and their rivals
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia will begin on Sunday at 6pm AEST.
