Max Verstappen claimed his first pole position of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship with a commanding performance in Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, beating Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar at the Sepang International Circuit.

The Dutchman delivered a final lap of 1:35.130 to secure the 49th pole position of his career, finishing 0.298s clear of Hamilton, with Hadjar third in thre session. However, the French driver will take a five-place penalty for the race due an Internal Combustion Engine change and will drop to P8 on the grid. 

Verstappen had already established himself as the driver to beat by topping all three practice sessions and continued that form throughout Qualifying to secure his first pole since the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

At the top of the hour, Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman were first on track. Elsewhere, Ferrari and Audi opted for Medium compound tyres as they looked to save sets of Softs. 

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli set the early benchmark of 1:37.041 on the red-banded Softs, before Verstappen moved clear by half a second. Hadjar followed his team-mate into second, although Hamilton and Charles Leclerc subsequently demonstrated the competitiveness of the medium compound by moving into the top three.

At the other end of the order, Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg dropped out of the session in P17 ahead of Bearman while the Briton’s outgoing team-mate Esteban Ocon qualified 19th ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and the Cadillacs of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez.

In the second session Verstappen lowered the benchmark to 1:35.696, becoming the first driver to break through the 1m36s barrier. Leclerc followed, two tenths adrift, while Antonelli had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 6.

The Mercedes driver was forced to return to the circuit on a fresh set of soft tyres, leaving him with fewer new compounds available for Q3. His subsequent effort was sufficient to secure progression, but the additional running would prove significant later in the session.

At the other end of the order, Racing Bulls faced a battle to keep both cars in contention. Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad, already facing a back-row start following a power unit change, provided a tow for Liam Lawson rather than setting a representative lap himself.

Lawson moved into the top 10, only for Gabriel Bortoleto to produce a late improvement to dump the New Zealander out of Q3 by 0.209s. Lawson was eliminated alongside Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto and Lindblad.

Colapinto is also facing a grid penalty, of 15 places, due to causing a collision in Baku and 10 for a power unit change. Lindblad will also start from the back following his own penalty.

In Q3, Mercedes’ George Russell was first to establish a competitive time, but his 1:36.032 was quickly eclipsed by Hadjar, before Hamilton and Leclerc moved into second and third respectively.

Verstappen then delivered a 1:35.250 to take provisional pole, opening a 0.308s advantage over his team-mate. Oscar Piastri split the Ferrari drivers, while Lando Norris moved into sixth. Antonelli delayed his sole attempt until the other drivers had completed their opening runs, but the championship leader could not match Verstappen's pace. His 1:35.631 placed him third provisionally. 

Verstappen returned to the circuit for one final attempt, initially unable to improve in the first two sectors. However, a strong final sector brought a further 0.120s improvement, taking him to 1:35.130 and confirming pole position.

Hamilton also found time on his final lap, securing second place with a 1:35.428 and giving Ferrari a place on the front row. Hadjar was unable to improve and finished third on the timesheets with a 1:35.558, but his five-place penalty will drop him to eighth on the starting grid.

Antonelli therefore inherits third place, ahead of Leclerc, who recorded a 1:35.666. Norris finished sixth with a 1:35.757, narrowly ahead of McLaren team-mate Piastri, whose 1:35.762 left the pair separated by just 0.005s.

Russell completed the top eight, 0.741s off pole, while Pierre Gasly secured ninth for Alpine and Bortoleto completed the top 10 for Audi.

2026 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia – Qualifying
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:35.130 - -
2 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:35.428 0.298 0.313
3 Isack Hadjar Red Bull/Red Bull Ford 1:35.558 0.428 
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:35.631 0.501 
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:35.666 0.536 
6 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.757 0.627 
7 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.762 0.632 
8 George Russell Mercedes 1:35.871 0.741 
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Mercedes 1:37.210 2.080 
10 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:37.673 2.543 
11 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford 1:37.023 1.893 
12 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Honda 1:37.220 2.090 
13 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:37.527 2.397 
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Honda 1:37.566 2.436 
15 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Mercedes - - -
16 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford - - -
17 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:37.970 2.840 
18 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:37.980 2.850 
19 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:38.233 3.103 
20 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:38.600 3.470 
21 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac/Ferrari 1:38.611 3.481
22 Sergio Pérez Cadillac/Ferrari 1:38.933 3.803