By: Qualifying for the Bahrain GP in Malaysia was very different from what we are used to seeing. For the first time in 2026, pole position was taken by a car powered by an engine other than a Mercedes unit. That honour went to Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The four-time world champion was quickest of all, setting a 1'35''130.
That time put him 298 thousandths clear of Hamilton’s Ferrari and 501 thousandths ahead of Antonelli’s W17. The Prancing Horse also managed to beat the Stuttgart marque last weekend. The Italian team had the misfortune of achieving that feat alongside Red Bull, which proved incredibly strong not only in qualifying but also in the race.
Red Bull and Ferrari capitalise on Mercedes’ misstep
The strength of Verstappen’s performance came from how effectively he managed the hybrid system through the first two sectors of the track, before effectively using the battery only on the final two straights. Mercedes, which had been the dominant team in a straight line at Baku, was unable to do the same in Kuala Lumpur (showing how different set-up choices and energy-management methods can have a major impact on the final performance). Perhaps, for once, the Stuttgart team was not truly prepared for the Malaysian challenge.
Among the top teams, the pecking order had Red Bull out front, followed by Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren, with the latter six tenths behind. Alpine remained more or less consistent at around 1.3 seconds off the pace. Behind them, Audi and Aston Martin improved, with Alonso managing to score points again, and both teams battled VCARB throughout the weekend.
Mind the Gap
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The battle at the back and the differences between drivers
Williams remains more or less consistent and, given the progress of the other teams, is currently a long way from the points. Haas, meanwhile, lost some ground, while Cadillac moved closer to the group, around 3.5 seconds off the pace. Aston Martin was fighting Bottas and Perez at the start of the season, after all.
Looking at the differences between the drivers, Sepang revealed two clearly distinct groups. The drivers from the top teams were covered by a gap of around 750 thousandths, with George Russell the slowest of the eight. There were also around eight tenths between Gasly, Bortoleto, Lawson and Alonso. Williams and Haas were further adrift, but Sainz’s performance was around 1.1 seconds slower than Gasly’s, while Bearman’s Haas was approximately 1.6 seconds behind Pierre’s time.
Cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT Images
All the news, photos, weather, session times and times from the Bahrain GP 2026
