Max Verstappen Takes Pole Ahead of Lewis Hamilton at Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Round 16 of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship
Sepang International Circuit • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Max Verstappen has taken pole position for the 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, beating Lewis Hamilton to the top spot in a dramatic qualifying session at the Sepang International Circuit.
Verstappen will start from the front of the grid, with Hamilton alongside him on the front row. Isack Hadjar originally qualified third, but his grid penalty means Kimi Antonelli will move up to third for Sunday's race.
The qualifying result sets up an intriguing front end to the grid, with Verstappen and Hamilton sharing the front row while Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all feature prominently among the leading positions.
🏁 Verstappen Takes His First Pole of 2026
Max Verstappen produced one of his standout qualifying performances of the season to claim pole position at Sepang.
The Red Bull driver finished nearly three tenths of a second clear of Lewis Hamilton, securing the top starting position for Sunday's 56-lap Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
For Verstappen, the result represents his first pole position of the 2026 season.
Hamilton Secures Front-Row Start for Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton will start alongside Verstappen on the front row after qualifying second.
The Ferrari driver showed strong pace during the final stages of qualifying and delivered a performance that earned him a place on the front row.
Former F1 race winner and F1 TV analyst David Coulthard highlighted Hamilton's reaction after qualifying, noting the enthusiasm with which the seven-time World Champion celebrated second place.
Coulthard also praised the Ferrari team's execution and timing during the session, while identifying Verstappen as the standout performer of the qualifying hour.
Hadjar Qualifies Third — But Will Start Eighth
Isack Hadjar produced an impressive qualifying performance to put his Red Bull inside the top three.
However, Hadjar has a five-place grid penalty following a power-unit component allocation infringement. Formula 1 confirmed that the penalty moves him from third on the qualifying classification to eighth on the starting grid.
Isack Hadjar qualified P3 but will start P8 after his five-place penalty is applied.
Antonelli Moves Up to Third
Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth for Mercedes, but Hadjar's penalty promotes the Italian driver to the second row.
Antonelli will therefore start P3, alongside Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
The result follows Antonelli's fastest time in FP3 earlier on Saturday, where the Mercedes driver topped the session with a 1:36.302 ahead of Verstappen and Hadjar.
Leclerc, Norris and Piastri Complete the Next Group
Charles Leclerc originally qualified fifth and will inherit fourth on the grid after Hadjar's penalty.
McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified sixth and seventh respectively, while George Russell qualified eighth before moving up one position because of Hadjar's penalty.
Russell will therefore start seventh, with Hadjar dropping behind him to eighth.
Adjusted Top 10 Starting Order
| Grid | Driver | Team | Qualifying Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1st | 🏁 Pole |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 2nd | Front Row |
| 3 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 4th | ⬆ Promoted |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 5th | ⬆ Promoted |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 6th | ⬆ Promoted |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 7th | ⬆ Promoted |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes | 8th | ⬆ Promoted |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 3rd | ⬇ 5-place penalty |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 9th | Top 10 |
| 10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 10th | Top 10 |
Who Was Eliminated in Q1?
The following six drivers failed to progress beyond Q1:
- Nico Hulkenberg – Audi
- Oliver Bearman – Haas
- Esteban Ocon – Haas
- Alexander Albon – Williams
- Valtteri Bottas – Cadillac
- Sergio Perez – Cadillac
The result left both Cadillac drivers outside the second segment, while Williams and Haas also lost cars during the opening phase of qualifying.
Who Was Eliminated in Q2?
Six further drivers were eliminated during Q2:
- Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls
- Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
- Carlos Sainz – Williams
- Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
- Franco Colapinto – Alpine
- Arvid Lindblad – Racing Bulls
Colapinto and Lindblad face particularly difficult situations because their qualifying positions are affected further by grid penalties.
Three Drivers Facing Grid Penalties
The starting order will change significantly because three drivers have penalties applied to their qualifying positions.
Isack Hadjar — 5 Places
Hadjar takes a five-place grid penalty after exceeding the permitted number of internal combustion engines for the season. He qualified third but will start eighth.
Arvid Lindblad — 30 Places
Lindblad has accumulated a 30-place penalty after taking additional power unit components beyond the permitted allocation. Under the regulations, a penalty exceeding 15 places results in the driver starting at the back of the field.
Franco Colapinto — 15 Places
Colapinto already carried a five-place penalty from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and received another 10-place penalty in Malaysia for exceeding the power-unit allocation.
David Coulthard Reacts to Hamilton's Qualifying
Speaking on F1 TV, former Grand Prix winner David Coulthard focused on Hamilton's reaction after securing second place.
Coulthard noted the enthusiasm in Hamilton's response and highlighted the importance of the Ferrari team's execution and timing during the qualifying session.
He also singled out Verstappen as the driver of the moment after the Red Bull driver secured pole position.
What the Qualifying Result Means for the Race
Verstappen's pole position gives Red Bull the leading starting position for Sunday's race, while Hamilton provides Ferrari with a front-row presence.
Behind them, Antonelli and Leclerc form the adjusted second row, followed by Norris and Piastri. Russell's promotion to seventh puts the second Mercedes inside the top seven, while Hadjar will begin from eighth.
The grid penalties also make the midfield order particularly important. Lindblad's penalty means he will start at the rear, while Colapinto's combined penalty significantly changes his original qualifying position.
🇲🇾 Bahrain GP in Malaysia — Race Information
Round: 16 of the 2026 F1 season
Circuit: Sepang International Circuit
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Race: Sunday, October 4, 2026
Race Start: 15:00 local time
Laps: 56
Race Distance: 310.417 km
Race Day: Verstappen vs Hamilton
The spotlight will now turn to the front row, where Verstappen and Hamilton will line up alongside each other for the start of the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Behind them, Antonelli and Leclerc will occupy the second row, while the McLaren pairing of Norris and Piastri will start immediately behind.
Sepang's combination of long straights and high-speed corners makes the opening lap particularly important, while the 5.543-kilometre circuit is expected to place significant demands on tyres and cars throughout the 56-lap race. Formula 1 lists the race distance at 310.417 kilometres.
Final Qualifying Summary
- Pole: Max Verstappen
- Front Row: Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton
- Qualifying P3: Isack Hadjar
- Adjusted P3: Kimi Antonelli
- Ferrari: Hamilton P2, Leclerc P4 after penalties
- Mercedes: Antonelli P3, Russell P7 after penalties
- McLaren: Norris P5, Piastri P6 after penalties
- Hadjar: P3 qualifying → P8 start
- Lindblad: 30-place penalty → back of grid
- Colapinto: 15-place cumulative penalty
Frequently Asked Questions
Who took pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
Max Verstappen took pole position at the Sepang International Circuit for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Who qualified second?
Lewis Hamilton qualified second for Ferrari and will start alongside Verstappen on the front row.
Who qualified third?
Isack Hadjar qualified third for Red Bull, but his five-place grid penalty means he will start eighth.
Where will Kimi Antonelli start?
Antonelli qualified fourth but moves up to third after Hadjar's penalty.
Who starts on the second row?
Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc will form the second row after the grid penalties are applied.
Who was eliminated in Q1?
Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Alexander Albon, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez were eliminated in Q1.
Who was eliminated in Q2?
Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad were eliminated in Q2.
When is the Bahrain GP race?
The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place on Sunday, October 4, with the official F1 timetable listing the race at 15:00 local time.