Verstappen takes Sepang pole for Bahrain GP ahead of Hamilton
Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the 2026 Formula One season in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang. Lewis Hamilton was second for Ferrari, while Isack Hadjar set the third-fastest time but will drop to eighth after a five-place grid penalty.
Qualifying for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix took place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Max Verstappen claimed pole position for Red Bull with a best lap of 1:35.130, earning the 49th pole of his Formula One career.
Verstappen finished 0.298 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who secured a front-row start in second. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar was third fastest in the session.
Hadjar will not start from third, however, as he has been given a five-place grid penalty for the race because of an Internal Combustion Engine change. That drops him to eighth on the grid.
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