Max Verstappen delivered a statement performance in qualifying on Saturday, taking pole position for the Bahrain round at Sepang International Circuit. The Red Bull driver dominated all three qualifying sessions and produced a stunning final lap of 1:35.130, beating Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds. It was Verstappen’s first pole of the 2026 season and his first since the Abu Dhabi finale last year.
Verstappen looked strong from the very beginning, topping both Q1 and Q2 before once again setting the pace in the decisive final session. His first Q3 attempt was already enough to put him on provisional pole, but he somehow found another tenth on his final run to extend the advantage and leave Hamilton unable to respond. After a difficult start to the season, the Dutchman finally had the perfect qualifying session when it mattered most.
Hamilton produced one of the biggest surprises of the session by securing second place for Ferrari. The seven-time champion had struggled with tyre degradation during practice, but a series of setup changes transformed the car for qualifying. Hamilton saved his best performance for the final run, jumping onto the front row for the first time since his victory in Barcelona earlier this year.
Isack Hadjar completed the top three for Red Bull, but his position on the starting grid will be very different. The Frenchman qualified an impressive third, only to lose five places because of a penalty for exceeding his seasonal allocation of internal combustion engines. As a result, championship leader Kimi Antonelli will move up to third, with Charles Leclerc starting fourth. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will line up fifth and sixth respectively.
Mercedes endured a more complicated session than expected. Antonelli had to make an additional tyre run after a costly mistake in Q2, meaning he had only one attempt available in the final session. George Russell struggled even more for pace and could manage only eighth fastest, although Hadjar’s penalty will move him up to seventh on the grid.
There was also a positive moment for the two Spanish drivers. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz both reached Q2 together for the first time this season, with Alonso qualifying 12th and Sainz 13th. Further ahead, however, the spotlight belongs entirely to Verstappen. After topping every stage of qualifying and claiming his first pole of the year, the Red Bull driver now has the opportunity to turn Saturday’s dominant performance into his first victory of the season.
MiniDrivers – 2026 Bahrain in Malaysia
Qualifying
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