F1 Standings 2026 After The Bahrain Grand Prix In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – OCTOBER 04: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium with Champagne during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in Malaysia at Sepang Circuit on October 04, 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

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Max Verstappen claimed his and Red Bull’s first victory of the season at a chaotic rain-hit Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The race got off to a delayed start of one hour and 33 minutes due to treacherous weather conditions and technical issues on several cars on the formation lap. Once things got going, Verstappen, who started on pole, quickly lost his lead before turn one and fell behind the Mercedes pair of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

The Dutchman managed to slip past Russell a few laps later before reclaiming the lead from Antonelli at the restart of a safety car period caused by Valtteri Bottas’ spin into the gravel on lap 10.

From there, the four-time world champion began to pull away and open up a good leading gap for himself while the two Mercedes cars were caught up in a battle for second place.

Nearing the end of the race, a virtual safety car was called after the Williams of Alexander Albon stopped on track. Verstappen lost his lead to Antonelli when he went into the pits for fresh tires but regained it a lap later when the Italian youngster made his own stop.

When racing was about to resume following a full safety car period, disaster struck Russell as he suffered a suspected power unit issue, forcing him to stop his Mercedes at the end of the pit straight and retire from the race while running in third with only five laps remaining.

At the restart, Verstappen held onto his lead from Antonelli while the Ferrari pair of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc jumped the other Red Bull of Isack Hadjar to move up to third and fourth respectively.

Verstappen eventually took the checkered flag over two seconds ahead of Antonelli, scoring his and Red Bull’s long-awaited first victory of the season.

“It’s a really nice one, after the year that we’ve had and the progression that we’ve made,” said Verstappen after the race. “I’m incredibly proud of everyone, and it’s just super nice to win here.”

This win is the Dutch driver’s first since last year’s season finale in Abu Dhabi and the 72nd of his F1 career. It is also the first ever win for Red Bull’s own power unit.

“It’s incredible,” Verstappen conceded. “I think already, of course, we started, and also to win our first race in our first year with our own power unit is pretty impressive.”

Hamilton completed the podium in third, having fought his way back from 18th after Ferrari’s soft tire gamble at the start of the race backfired and dropped him down the order.

Further down, Oscar Piastri of McLaren ended up in sixth place ahead of Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls, while Fernando Alonso brought home four points for Aston Martin with a P8 finish.

Defending champion Lando Norris settled for a lowly ninth after losing control in his McLaren and going into the gravel under the late safety car.

Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top 10, picking up the last point for Racing Bulls.

Looking at the standings after this round, Antonelli’s second-place finish brought his points tally to 320 and further extended his lead in the championship.

Meanwhile Russell’s title hopes took a huge blow with the unfortunate late retirement that kept him at 236 points.

What was a 66-point deficit to Antonelli after winning in Baku last weekend has now stretched to 86 heading into round 17 in Singapore.

Hamilton remains third, trailing by 106 points, while his teammate Leclerc is 129 points behind in fourth.

Norris and Verstappen are tied at 188 points each, both 132 points off the leader.

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