Max Verstappen finally returned to the top step of the podium in spectacular fashion, winning a chaotic Bahrain race at Sepang International Circuit on Sunday. The Red Bull driver converted his pole position into his first victory of the 2026 season, but the road to the chequered flag was anything but straightforward. Heavy rain delayed the start by more than 90 minutes, creating the first wet race of the new era and producing one of the most unpredictable events of the season.
The drama began even before the lights went out. Several cars suffered technical problems during the formation laps, with Verstappen himself initially reporting that he could not accelerate properly. Once the race finally started, Kimi Antonelli made the perfect getaway from third to take the lead, while George Russell moved into second. Verstappen dropped behind both Mercedes drivers, but the Dutchman quickly began his recovery and passed Russell on lap six at Turn 4.
The changing conditions then transformed the race. The early wet track favoured intermediate tyres, but as the circuit began to dry, teams had to decide when to switch to slicks. A Safety Car after Valtteri Bottas spun gave Verstappen the opportunity to pit, while Mercedes also made their move. When racing resumed, Verstappen immediately put pressure on Antonelli and eventually passed the Italian at Turn 3 to reclaim the lead. From there, the Red Bull began to pull away.
Antonelli recovered strongly after briefly running off track and hitting a pit-lane bollard, eventually settling into second place. Russell looked set for another podium after running comfortably inside the top three, but his race ended with just five laps remaining when a suspected power-unit failure forced him to stop on the main straight. The retirement was devastating for his championship hopes, with his deficit to Antonelli increasing from 66 to 84 points.
Behind them, Lewis Hamilton produced one of the great recoveries of the race. Ferrari initially gambled on the wrong tyre and the seven-time champion dropped as low as 18th, but Hamilton refused to give up and gradually fought his way back through the field. He passed Isack Hadjar in the closing stages to secure third, while Charles Leclerc also recovered brilliantly to finish fourth. Hadjar took fifth ahead of Oscar Piastri, with Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris and Arvid Lindblad completing the top ten.
For Verstappen, the victory could hardly have been more important. After a difficult opening part of the season, the Dutchman finally had the performance and circumstances to fight at the front, delivering Red Bull its first win of the year. He also became the last driver to win at Sepang before its previous disappearance from the calendar in 2017 — and now, nine years later, he has returned to the circuit and won again. The championship battle continues, but Verstappen has finally announced that he is ready to fight back.
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