🚨 ABSOLUTELY WILD! Max Verstappen Wins Chaotic Bahrain GP as Hamilton Storms From 18th to Podium

Max Verstappen finally has his first Formula 1 victory of 2026 — but he had to survive one of the most chaotic races of the season to get it.

The Bahrain Grand Prix, held at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit because of the disruption in the Middle East, was delayed by heavy rain before a frantic 55-lap contest unfolded. Verstappen recovered from losing the lead at the start to beat Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton produced a remarkable comeback from 18th to finish third.

Verstappen Finally Breaks His 2026 Duck

Max Verstappen is back on the top step of the Formula 1 podium.

The Red Bull driver converted pole position into victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, claiming his first win of the 2026 campaign and Red Bull’s first victory of the season.

It was Verstappen’s 72nd career F1 victory and his first since the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

But this was anything but a straightforward win.

The four-time world champion had to deal with changing conditions, a difficult opening lap, Safety Car interruptions and a late restart before finally taking the chequered flag.

A Race That Refused to Start Normally

The drama began before the Grand Prix had even started.

Heavy rain hit Sepang, forcing the scheduled start to be delayed by more than 90 minutes.

The formation lap then produced another extraordinary moment, with several drivers struggling in the slippery conditions and the start procedure ultimately being suspended.

When the race finally got underway, the mixed conditions created completely different tyre strategies.

Verstappen started on intermediate tyres but lost the lead to the Mercedes pair of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell before recovering his rhythm.

Verstappen Takes Control

A Safety Car was deployed after Valtteri Bottas spun into the gravel on lap nine.

That proved crucial.

As the track began drying, drivers switched from intermediate tyres to slicks, creating a major strategic battle.

Verstappen made the right call and used the opportunity to regain control of the race.

Once he moved back into first place, the Red Bull driver began building a sizeable advantage over Antonelli and Russell.

From there, Verstappen looked increasingly comfortable despite the unpredictable conditions.

Hamilton Goes From 18th to the Podium

Lewis Hamilton produced arguably the comeback story of the race.

The Ferrari driver started from the front row alongside Verstappen but dropped all the way to 18th after Ferrari's decision to start him on slick tyres backfired in the wet conditions.

Hamilton appeared to be out of contention.

Instead, the seven-time world champion began carving his way through the field.

The first Safety Car brought him back into contention, while Hamilton's pace improved dramatically as the circuit dried.

He continued climbing through the order before eventually overtaking Isack Hadjar late in the race to secure third place.

Hamilton finished just 4.919 seconds behind Verstappen.

Russell's Heartbreak

George Russell looked set for a major result.

The Mercedes driver was running third and involved in the fight near the front when disaster struck with five laps remaining.

Russell's Mercedes stopped on the start-finish straight under the late Safety Car, with the team suspecting a power-unit failure.

His retirement handed Hamilton third place and dealt another blow to Russell's championship hopes.

Meanwhile, Antonelli's second-place finish strengthened his position at the top of the drivers' championship.

Verstappen Keeps His Head in the Chaos

The victory was particularly significant because Verstappen did not have everything under control from the opening lap.

He lost the lead immediately after the start but recovered through a combination of pace, tyre strategy and composure.

The Dutchman eventually finished 2.307 seconds ahead of Antonelli after 55 laps.

Charles Leclerc completed Ferrari's strong recovery in fourth, followed by Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar.

Oscar Piastri finished sixth, with Liam Lawson seventh and Fernando Alonso eighth. Lando Norris recovered to ninth after a late incident behind the Safety Car, while Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10.

Player Ratings — Bahrain GP

Max Verstappen — 9.5/10

Lost the lead at the start but recovered brilliantly and controlled the race once he returned to P1.

Kimi Antonelli — 9/10

Passed Verstappen early and kept the Mercedes in contention throughout, securing another valuable second-place finish.

Lewis Hamilton — 9.5/10

A sensational recovery from 18th to third after Ferrari's opening tyre gamble left him badly positioned.

Charles Leclerc — 8.5/10

Recovered strongly from the difficult opening conditions to bring Ferrari home fourth.

Isack Hadjar — 8/10

Stayed competitive near the front and secured an impressive fifth for Red Bull.

George Russell — 7/10

Ran strongly in the top three but lost a potential podium finish after his late power-unit failure.

A Victory Red Bull Will Remember

This was more than just another Verstappen victory.

It was Red Bull's first win of the 2026 season and the maiden triumph for Red Bull Ford Powertrains.

For Verstappen, it also ends a long wait for a race victory and provides a major boost after a difficult opening part of the campaign.

The circumstances made it even more memorable.

Rain delays, tyre gambles, Safety Cars, a late retirement and an 18th-to-third comeback from Hamilton turned the Bahrain GP into a race that will be remembered for years.

And after all the chaos, Verstappen was the driver standing on top.

Fan Debate

🏁 Goal: What was the moment of the race for you?

🔥 Fire: Was this the craziest F1 race of the 2026 season?

😲 Shock: How did Lewis Hamilton recover from 18th to the podium?

👍 Like: Max Verstappen finally wins in 2026.

💬 Comment: Rate Verstappen's Bahrain GP performance out of 10.