On 3 October 2014, the Dutchman made his Formula 1 debut. He did so in a Toro Rosso at Suzuka: at one of the calendar’s most iconic circuits, the youngest-ever driver in the premier class embarked on a career that quickly made him a generational phenomenon, capable of sweeping aside the initial scepticism and opening a new chapter in motorsport history before becoming one of its legends.

A lap worth far more

Twelve years later, the pole position claimed in Malaysia is worth far more than simply a front-row start: it represents redemption and a fightback after a difficult season, in a weekend in which the Dutchman has genuine chances of securing his first victory of the season.

Max Verstappen after Bahrain GP qualifying – Internal cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT images

And while it is true that Formula 1 results should not be romanticised, this parallel cannot fail to stir the emotions: from the anniversary of his debut to his return to pole position, Max Verstappen has once again demonstrated his resilience. The Lion is roaring once more.

Cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT images

Over a race weekend, it is extremely important to keep pace with the evolution of the track. The Kuala Lumpur circuit, chosen to host the Bahrain GP, was particularly dirty on Friday, also due to the agricultural activity taking place in the area at this time of year.

The challenge of keeping up with a changing track

When work begins on a circuit with a very green surface, as was the case here, the teams’ task is always rather complicated. The required set-up changes from session to session, and the team must be able to identify every step required to deliver the perfect qualifying lap. It is a process Ferrari have hardly ever managed to complete this year.

At the Bahrain GP weekend, however, a response was needed. The rumours surrounding team principal Vasseur had become so intense that a reaction was required. Ferrari’s answer came, and it was emphatic. Beating the W17s is no small achievement. After FP3, we had taken it for granted that Verstappen would be fighting Antonelli for pole. Instead, Ferrari operated like Mercedes and Mercedes like Ferrari.

A result worth far more than pole position

Hamilton was the driver who got closest to Verstappen, while Antonelli had to settle for fourth place, which will become P3 tomorrow because of Hadjar’s penalty for replacing power unit components.

It is a shame this miracle came on the wrong weekend. Mercedes are not beaten often, and today they lost out to both Red Bull and Ferrari. Unfortunately, in the one qualifying session in which Ferrari manage to beat Mercedes, Verstappen and Red Bull are capable of performing at their very best.

That does not, however, prevent us from congratulating the Italian Scuderia. Being able to reinvent themselves and turn an underwhelming FP3 into a high-level qualifying performance is not something everyone can do. There are signs of change, and that is a result worth far more than a possible pole position.

Cover and in-article photos by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT Images

Red Bull was exceptionally quick, with Verstappen taking pole position. He was three tenths clear of the driver in second, who was not a Mercedes driver but Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. Max’s team-mate, Isack Hadjar, would have started from P3 tomorrow, but replacing power unit components will mean a five-place grid penalty.

The Bahrain GP starting grid – Formation lap at 09:00 

Hadjar will not be the only driver serving an engine-related penalty. He will be joined by the VCARB of Arvid Lindblad and the Alpine of Franco Colapinto, who will start from the back. The Argentine has also received a further five-place grid penalty for causing the incident in Azerbaijan. Between the three penalised drivers and the day’s surprises, Verstappen, Hamilton and Hadjar have delivered a performance nobody could have imagined, and here is the starting grid for the Bahrain GP in Malaysia. Lights go out at 09:00 Italian time on Sunday 4 October.

Why are we calling it a provisional grid? Because the teams’ technicians could still identify issues with the cars before tomorrow’s race and, should it become necessary to replace a component subject to regulatory restrictions, the Federation would have to drop the driver concerned by several positions on the grid.

Years have passed, and the cars, regulations, teams and above all the balance of power have changed. Yet the two men are still there, separated by only a few metres and by a rivalry that has marked Formula 1’s recent history. It is difficult not to think of 2021: the season of the all-out duel, the controversies, the on-track incidents and that championship decided at the final race. Back then, Verstappen was the challenger seeking to end Hamilton’s dominance. Today, he is the established champion, the man who has built his own era.

Sepang adds a particular chapter to the story. Who could forget the 2017 edition? Verstappen won, with Hamilton second. It was one of the images of a new generation beginning to challenge the established order: the young Dutchman ahead of the British champion, still master of the championship but by then forced to glance in his mirrors. 

Now the circuit puts them side by side once again, but with their historical roles profoundly changed. Verstappen is no longer the prospect chasing the seven-time World Champion: he is one of the drivers who have defined Formula 1 over recent years. Hamilton, meanwhile, carries the legacy of an unrepeatable era and remains a benchmark for the previous generation.

That is why Sepang’s front row carries a significance that goes beyond Saturday’s result. It is a meeting between two champions who have embodied two different moments in Formula 1 and who, for once, return to being simply man against man, without the distance created by standings and eras. It is not a nostalgic contest: it is proof that certain rivalries, even when their context changes, remain part of a sport’s living memory.

At Sepang, Formula 1 rediscovers its past, but places it before the present. Verstappen and Hamilton, side by side. It will be enough to watch them before the lights go out to remember how much, together, they have changed the history of this sport.

Q1: Verstappen starts strongly, Aston Martin shines!

Ocon and Bearman are the only drivers to head out as the green light comes on, with the Frenchman opening with a 1'38''879. With 13 minutes remaining, the rest of the field begins its running. After the first runs, Verstappen leads in 1'36''477, ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc, who are not far behind the Dutchman; the two Ferrari drivers, along with Bortoleto and Hulkenberg, used the medium tyres for their attempts, unlike the rest of the field. Piastri is fourth, followed by Hadjar and Antonelli; Norris is seventh and Russell ninth. Pierre Gasly once again stands out in the midfield in eighth.

With five minutes remaining, the drivers return to the pits for a brief stop. Only half the grid heads back out afterwards, while the frontrunners remain in the pits. At the chequered flag, the drivers eliminated in Q1 are: Hulkenberg, Bearman, Ocon, Albon, Bottas and Stroll. Both Aston Martin cars perform well and make it through to Q2.

Q2: Verstappen stays on top, nervous moments for Mercedes

The drivers quickly take to the track, with Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen the first to begin their laps. After the first runs, Verstappen leads in 1'35''696, followed by Leclerc and Piastri. Hamilton is fourth, ahead of Norris, Hadjar and Russell. Antonelli has his time deleted for track limits at Turn 6.

While everyone else is in the pits, the number 12 returns to the circuit to set a lap, moving into second place, two tenths behind Verstappen. The drivers eliminated in Q2 are: Lawson, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Colapinto and Lindblad.

Q3: The lion roars again

With the final minutes available, all drivers quickly take to the track, except Kimi Antonelli, who heads out after the rest of the field has already completed its first runs. The number 12 goes third. Max Verstappen is the provisional leader with a 1'35''250, followed by Hadjar and Antonelli. Hamilton is fourth and Leclerc sixth.

After a brief stop, the drivers return to the track for their final attempts. At the chequered flag, Max Verstappen takes a superb pole position, ahead of Hamilton and Hadjar, who must serve a five-place grid penalty. Antonelli is fourth and Leclerc fifth, but both will move up one place due to the penalty mentioned above. Below is the full classification, while Colapinto and Lindblad also have penalties of 15 and 30 places respectively.

Cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT images

Behind them, Hadjar also looked consistent, but Isack will have to serve a five-place grid penalty. As a result, even if he could fight for pole, he is certain not to be the driver who will start from that position tomorrow.

McLaren appear to be keeping their cards close to their chest, but should move closer to the front, while Ferrari seem unable to keep pace with the track evolution. It could be difficult for Leclerc and Hamilton to match the times of the drivers ahead.

Before we turn our attention to live qualifying coverage, let us look at the Pirelli tyre allocations for the Bahrain GP: Hard C2, Medium C3 and Soft C4 compounds will be available, the middle combination in the range (photo: Pirelli graphic).

Pit lane opens at 10:00 Italian time. Live coverage from 09:45.

LIVE

Cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT Images

Session recap

As soon as the light at the end of the pit lane turned green, all the drivers headed out immediately to begin their work for qualifying, which will take place in a few hours.

Although there was not a great deal of action during the opening 20 minutes, Charles Leclerc went straight to the top of the timesheets on hard tyres with a 1:37.772, before Lando Norris posted a 1:37.161 on the medium compound.

The session was then interrupted by a red flag, deployed by race control due to debris on track. Safety conditions returned to normal after just a few minutes, allowing the cars to leave the pit lane once again. With 25 minutes remaining before the chequered flag, Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time of 1:36.924, 129 thousandths clear of team-mate George Russell.

Shortly before qualifying simulations began, the Ferrari drivers carried out different programmes, with the Briton using soft tyres while the Monegasque completed laps on the hard compound.

The final five minutes were devoted to outright performance on soft tyres. Bologna-born Kimi Antonelli set the quickest time, crossing the line in 1:36.302, followed by Max Verstappen on 1:36.580 and Isack Hadjar on 1:36.860. Both Ferraris struggled, however, finishing fifth and sixth, with Leclerc leading the red cars on 1:37.016. The full timesheet is below.

Ferrari and McLaren are equally competitive, however. Perhaps not enough to challenge for victory, but, from what we have seen, they are in the fight for the podium. It should be said that it was not easy for the teams to begin running in Malaysia, a circuit they last raced at nine years ago, so there could be plenty of progress, including for the Prancing Horse. Track evolution will be significant, with engineers needing to consider a set-up capable of adapting to improving track-surface conditions.

Before turning our attention to the live coverage of FP3, let us take a look at the Pirelli tyre allocation for the Bahrain GP: the Hard C2, Medium C3 and Soft C4 compounds will be available, representing the middle selection of the range (image: Pirelli graphic).

Pit lane opens at 06:30 Italian time. Live coverage begins at 06:15.

LIVE

But let us talk about F1. As we had already seen between FP1 and FP2, the Sepang circuit is proving particularly interesting. The track has a very flowing, fast layout, but the surface is very slippery, which affects tyre degradation, especially through high-speed corners.

The C3 appears to work only on the Red Bull

Pirelli has designated the C2 as the Hard, the C3 as the Medium and the C4 as the Soft. Our impression is that, apart from rare cases, the C3 is neither competitive nor consistent across all cars. Indeed, very few teams have managed to make it work properly: among the top teams today, we only noticed Red Bull. The Dutchman completed a 13-lap stint on the C3, showing pace on a par with George Russell (Mercedes) on the C4.

Verstappen therefore looks to be a genuine threat not only for pole position, but also for victory in the event. He only failed to set a competitive time in FP2 because he did not use the Soft tyre. He used just one set of Mediums.

Antonelli and Leclerc respond to Verstappen

Antonelli and Leclerc, meanwhile, issued a strong response, showing highly competitive pace on the Soft tyre. The only caveat is that their average times are very low because they elected to fit a second set of tyres rather than continuing to run like Russell. The fact that Max was faster than George on the Mediums suggests drivers are likely to use the C3 and C2 Hard for longer stints, while the Soft will be reserved for shorter runs.

The pit-stop time is estimated at 22.5 seconds, which means that, to make an extra stop and have fresher tyres, there must be enough of a margin to recover the time lost in the pits against a rival. Judging by Friday's race pace, that delta appears to be there. Degradation was very pronounced today. Strategies will largely depend on how easy it is to overtake.

It is therefore difficult to say who has the greatest winning potential. Antonelli and Leclerc were very quick on short stints, which were also very close together, while Verstappen appeared to have the edge over Russell. Max could be one of the leading protagonists in Sunday's race. Beating Mercedes will not be easy, but he appears to have all the tools, at least, to try.

Moreover, neither McLaren nor Ferrari appear to be in such bad shape either.

Cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT Images

FP2 summary

As soon as the pit lane opened, every driver headed out on track. The radar showed a 90% chance of rain, although it never arrived. Max Verstappen immediately set the pace on the yellow-walled tyres, two tenths clear of the leading Mercedes. Shortly afterwards, the Brackley team brought both cars in for a compound change, fitting the softs. Their times were good, presumably still some way off qualifying pace, but it was important for the engineers to assess degradation on what was described as a highly abrasive surface. The W17s, however, never came alive as hoped: the team brought several updates from England and, according to Bradley Lord, is experimenting with set-up configurations.

Meanwhile, other drivers ran on the red-walled tyres. Amid mistakes and slides from Russell and Antonelli, Hamilton and Piastri moved into the top three. Shortly after his flying lap, however, the seven-time world champion found himself on the racing line of Bortoleto, hampering the Brazilian's quick lap. The impeding will be investigated after the session, although it is unlikely to result in a penalty.

At the midway point of the session, Charles Leclerc was in first place, followed by Hadjar and Norris. Those drivers, along with others, were carrying out long-run simulations on soft tyres, while Verstappen was still trying the mediums. As soon as the Dutchman returned to the pits, Race Control deployed a Virtual Safety Car after Bortoleto's car stopped at the side of the track. It was a fairly eventful session for the Brazilian, who overtook rivals left, right and centre and ran off track several times. FP2 ended without any further flying laps.

Cover photo by Luca Martini / WHYOUT Images

The dominant theme is once again the pursuit of local load and flow quality towards the rear of the car. The floor, diffuser and aerodynamic management of the rear area are once again central to development, while Sepang’s particular conditions have prompted some teams to address cooling as well, especially for the power unit and brakes.

The clearly most significant package comes from Mercedes, which has modified seven areas of the W17. The changes begin with the Floor Board and continue along the leading edge, side elements and floor body, before extending to the suspension, brake corner and rear bodywork. The common thread is to increase local load, improve diffuser feed and make the aerodynamic behaviour more robust across the full operating range.

The direction taken with the rear bodywork is also interesting. Mercedes has reduced the volumes and accentuated the side ramp to increase downwash towards the floor and rear-wheel area: a philosophy which, at least conceptually, appears to move closer to that used by McLaren before Baku. In Azerbaijan, however, the Woking team changed direction, abandoning part of that solution for more undulating and undercut bodywork, with concepts closer to those developed by Red Bull. These are not identical solutions, of course, but it is interesting to see how development paths are beginning both to converge and intersect.

The other interventions are more limited in scope. Ferrari has evolved its diffuser with a change not specific to Sepang, while Red Bull continues to work on the Floor Board to increase load while keeping the flow behind the front wheels stable. Racing Bulls, meanwhile, has made changes at both ends of the car, expanding the front-wing balance range and improving the efficiency of the rear wing’s support elements.

Malaysia’s environmental conditions are particularly evident in the work carried out by McLaren and Alpine: the former introduces high-capacity cooling bodywork, while the latter increases front-brake heat rejection. Haas, finally, brings an additional Rear Impact Structure configuration to refine the car’s behaviour for the circuit.

Williams, Aston Martin, Audi and Cadillac have not declared any upgrades for the Sepang weekend.

Here are all the official changes brought by the teams for the 2026 Bahrain GP.

McLaren

McLaren brings a new bodywork configuration to Sepang dedicated to thermal management. The new Coke/Engine Cover has been designed to increase cooling airflow in response to the high demands of this event and the forthcoming circuits.

Mercedes

Mercedes brings the weekend’s most extensive package, with seven areas affected. The work is heavily focused on the floor and the quality of flow directed towards the rear of the car: the Floor Board, leading edge, side area and diffuser have changed, while the suspension, brake corner and rear bodywork have been redesigned to work with the new aerodynamic field. The aim is to increase local load, improve diffuser feed and make the platform more stable in different operating conditions.

Red Bull

Red Bull continues its floor development with a highly localised modification to the Floor Board. The new geometry is intended to extract more local load while keeping the aerodynamic flow behind the front tyres stable, an area particularly sensitive to the operation of the rest of the floor.

Ferrari

Ferrari introduces a highly localised refinement to the diffuser. It is not a Sepang-specific solution, but a genuine performance development: the winglet cascade in the diffuser’s outer area has been modified to deliver an increase in aerodynamic load across the car’s full operating range.

Williams

Williams has not declared any upgrades.

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls

Racing Bulls has made changes at both ends of the car. At the front, it uses the higher-chord flap already introduced at the previous event, helping to widen the load range and meet Sepang’s balance requirements. At the rear, the wing’s auxiliary components have been revised to improve their efficiency in generating load.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin has not declared any upgrades.

Haas

Haas brings an additional Rear Impact Structure configuration. It is not a major aerodynamic development, but a solution that allows the team to fine-tune the car’s characteristics more specifically to the circuit’s requirements.

Audi

Audi has not declared any upgrades.

Alpine

Alpine has addressed thermal management at the front of the car. The front drum outlet has been modified to increase brake cooling capacity, a particularly important requirement at circuits with high thermal demands such as Sepang.

Cadillac

Cadillac has not declared any upgrades.

2026 Bahrain GP: complete guide

This is the fifth of the six in-depth features we regularly publish on formula1.it in the build-up to every race weekend: alongside all the official upgrades and the table of power-unit components used, there is room for technical analysis and the first images from the pit lane, Pirelli’s tyre and strategy analysis and information, braking and energy-recovery analysis, and the TV and streaming schedule for the 2026 Bahrain GP.

After the first 60 minutes of running, held at 06:30 Italian time this morning, we resume with Max Verstappen at the top of the timesheets, ahead of George Russell and Isack Hadjar. Ferrari, meanwhile, appear to have picked up exactly where they left off at Baku. Charles Leclerc is the leading Ferrari in fourth, while Hamilton is sixth.

While we wait for the pit-lane light to turn green, a reminder of the Pirelli tyre allocation for these three days: the selected compounds are the C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft. (image: Pirelli graphic).

Pit lane opens: 10:00 Italian time. Live coverage begins at 09:45.

LIVE

Welcome back, Formula1.it readers. I am Giuseppe Cianci and I will be with you throughout this hour of free practice.

Cover photo x.com

There are many new features buried within the text, but the section on movable wings has drawn particular attention.

Alongside the new Power Units, these are the most significant innovation in the 2026 regulations, so it is no surprise that adjustments are being considered.

The FIA doubles down on safety

As anticipated, the Federation has intervened to improve the safety of the systems, responding to the Red Bull movable-wing issue that caused two heavy crashes in succession for Max Verstappen.

For this reason, paragraphs C3.10.10 and C3.11.6, concerning the front and rear wing adjustment systems, now specify:

“The design must be such as to ensure that, in the event of a failure, the system returns to the "Corner Mode" position; failure modes that would prevent the front wing flap (FW Flap) from returning to this position must be considered, and the associated risks minimised”

But that is not all.
Another change to catch the eye is the amendment to the transition time between the two modes, which has been reduced for 2027 from 400ms to 300ms.

While it may appear to be a minor change, the reduction in transition time could have a significant effect on certain types of movable-wing mechanism, particularly more complex designs.

A penalty for rotating systems?

The reversible systems adopted by Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren could therefore be more heavily affected by this regulatory change, given the greater angular travel required during opening and closing compared with conventional systems, such as Mercedes' for example.

It cannot therefore be ruled out that some teams may be forced to modify their movable-wing systems, or fundamentally rethink them with 2027 in mind.

The Bahrain GP, exceptionally being held at Sepang, begins with an increasingly delicate power unit situation for several drivers. Following numerous replacements over the season, particularly at the previous round in Baku, the first FIA documents published in Malaysia now bring the number of drivers beyond the seasonal limit in at least one component to ten.

Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto join the already known cases of Norris, Antonelli, Hadjar, Albon, Sainz, Stroll, Alonso and Bearman. The positions of Verstappen, Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton and Ocon remain particularly delicate: these drivers have not yet exceeded any allocation, but have now reached the limit for almost all of the principal power unit components.

It should be remembered that the 2026 regulations allow four ICEs, four turbos, four EXHs, three MGU-Ks, three Energy Stores, three PU-CEs and six PU-ANCs. The FIA Technical Delegate’s second document already updates the initial picture for the weekend: Hadjar introduces a seventh ICE; Lindblad a fifth ICE, fifth turbo, fifth exhaust set and sixth PU-ANC; Colapinto a fifth ICE; while Bottas moves onto a fourth ICE and fourth turbo.

F1 2026 power units: updated situation for the Bahrain GP

Table updated with the FIA Technical Delegate’s Report of 2 October 2026 and the new components introduced at the start of the Sepang weekend.

Orange = final component available before a penalty | Red = regulatory limit already exceeded at this or other GPs

Three drivers over the limit at Sepang

The first replacements of the weekend have direct consequences for Hadjar, Lindblad and Colapinto. Hadjar introduces a seventh ICE after already using six, meaning the new engine falls outside his permitted allocation. Lindblad exceeds the limit in three categories simultaneously, moving onto a fifth ICE, fifth turbo and fifth exhaust set; his sixth PU-ANC remains entirely within the regulations. Colapinto moves onto a fifth ICE and exceeds the permitted allocation for the internal combustion engine for the first time.

Bottas, meanwhile, fits a fourth ICE and fourth turbo. Both represent the final permitted component and do not incur any penalty.

Penalties for the Bahrain GP

The Technical Delegate’s Report establishes which new components comply with Article B8.2.2 of the regulations and which do not. Pending the relevant formal decisions from the Stewards, the out-of-allocation replacements therefore concern Hadjar, Lindblad and Colapinto. Hadjar uses a seventh ICE, therefore one further unit beyond those extra units already used; Lindblad introduces components beyond the limit for the first time in the ICE, turbo and exhaust categories, while Colapinto moves onto a fifth ICE. For Lindblad, the accumulation of the three replacements makes for a particularly severe grid penalty. His sixth PU-ANC and Bottas’s new components, however, remain within the allocation and do not generate penalties.

Ferrari and Mercedes with no margin

Ferrari’s situation remains unchanged from Baku. Leclerc and Hamilton have used their entire available allocation in every category: four ICEs, four turbos, four EXHs, three MGU-Ks, three Energy Stores, three PU-CEs and six PU-ANCs. Both therefore remain within the limits, but have no margin left: the introduction of a further component in any of those categories would take them beyond their allocation.

Mercedes’ picture is equally delicate. Russell has reached the limit with four ICEs, four TCs, four EXHs, three MGU-Ks, three ESs and three PU-CEs, retaining margin only on PU-ANCs. Antonelli, by contrast, is already beyond the limit with his fifth ICE, fourth Energy Store and fourth PU-CE.

At McLaren, Piastri is at the limit with his fourth ICE, third Energy Store and third PU-CE, while Norris has already exceeded his allocation with a fourth PU-CE and is at the limit on ICEs and Energy Stores.

Hadjar further worsens an already extreme situation. With the new engine introduced at Sepang, he now has seven ICEs, alongside six turbos, six EXHs, four MGU-Ks, four ESs, four PU-CEs and seven PU-ANCs.

Aston Martin remains the most extreme case

The highest overall figures continue to belong to Aston Martin. Stroll stands at five ICEs, six turbos, three EXHs, five MGU-Ks, seven Energy Stores, six PU-CEs and eight PU-ANCs. Alonso has five ICEs, five turbos, three EXHs, five MGU-Ks, seven ESs, six PU-CEs and nine PU-ANCs. Both have therefore already comfortably exceeded their allocation in almost every category.

The picture will naturally continue to be updated throughout the weekend on the basis of subsequent FIA Technical Delegate documents and Stewards’ decisions, with particular attention on any further components introduced and the associated penalties.

Bahrain GP 2026: complete guide

This is one of our technical features dedicated to the Bahrain GP weekend. Alongside the power unit situation, we cover the developments seen in the pit lane, upgrades officially declared by the teams, tyre degradation and strategy analysis, television and streaming schedules, and an analysis of braking and energy management at the Sepang circuit.

FP1 summary

As the lights turned green, the drivers took to the track both to familiarise themselves with the circuit and to find some grip. With 50 minutes remaining, Max Verstappen moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1'39''400 on soft tyres, ahead of Russell and Leclerc, while Kimi Antonelli was fifth.

The track appeared very dirty from the opening minutes, with Leclerc coming on the radio to complain about the lack of grip. Max Verstappen appeared unaffected, improving his time by almost a second to hold a three-tenth advantage over George Russell. In the midfield, Pierre Gasly impressed in seventh, followed by Lawson and Lindblad. Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10. Piastri and Norris were well down the order, in 11th and 12th respectively. At the chequered flag, Max Verstappen remained on top, followed by Russell and Hadjar. Leclerc was fourth and Hamilton sixth, with Antonelli sandwiched between the two Ferraris.

Short race-run simulations

The final part of the session was devoted to a short long run, with Verstappen, Hadjar and Leclerc on soft tyres, while Hamilton, Russell and Antonelli were on mediums. The drivers on the red-walled tyres showed a clearly stronger pace, particularly car number #3, which was consistently in the 1'44s. Leclerc posted similar times.

Mercedes struggled, particularly Russell rather than Antonelli, although both remained some way off the times set by rivals on soft tyres. Hamilton was a surprise: despite using the same compound as the Silver Arrows, he showed a markedly better pace, matching Verstappen, Hadjar and Leclerc. Lando Norris produced a late burst to stop the clock at 1'43.

We pick up from the result in Baku. Russell, 66 points behind Antonelli, will look to repeat his Azerbaijan result in an attempt to put pressure on Kimi in this closing stage of the season. Something the championship leader will be keen to avoid. McLaren and Red Bull will want to confirm the progress made in recent races, while Ferrari must provide a concrete response on track, as well as through statements, to the persistent rumours suggesting Vasseur's position is becoming increasingly precarious. Ferrari confirmed its confidence in its current team principal this week: the threat appears to have faded, but a response on track would also be welcome.

Before turning our attention to the FP1 live coverage, let us take a look at the Pirelli tyre allocation for the Bahrain GP: Hard C2, Medium C3 and Soft C4 compounds will be available, the middle combination in the range (image: Pirelli graphic).

Pit lane opens: 06:30 Italian time. Live coverage begins at 06:15.

LIVE

Cover photo by Peter Kiss / WHYOUT Images

An unexpected wish from Red Bull

One post in particular, however, caught our attention. Its caption read: “The last time we celebrated Max’s birthday in Malaysia…”. We will continue the story: it was 2017, the year of the last edition of the GP. It was the Dutchman himself who won that event, finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

What surprised us most was seeing this kind of post published by Red Bull itself. This is a team which, out of superstition, chose to call its 2021 Formula 1 car the RB16B rather than name it the RB17. It is fair to say that superstition worked out rather well at the time, given the dramatic way the championship ended in Verstappen’s favour.

The last time we celebrated Max's birthday in Malaysia... 🎂🏆 pic.twitter.com/XVsN2lKeKW

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) September 30, 2026

Red Bull casts superstition aside. Can Verstappen really challenge for victory?

On this occasion, though, the Milton Keynes team has put all superstition aside and hopes that Sepang can provide the perfect setting for what would be Verstappen’s first victory of this championship.

Perhaps that boldness is driven by the fact that Red Bull are not fighting for any titles in 2026. Whatever the outcome of the race, therefore, would be acceptable. But will the Dutchman have a chance to fight for victory in Malaysia? It is too early to say, but judging by the progress made since the Belgian GP, it would not be a surprise to see him among Mercedes’ most feared rivals this weekend. The engine has plenty of horsepower and, lately, the car has improved greatly in terms of competitiveness.

It could therefore be a particularly happy birthday period for both Verstappen and Hadjar. Today, in fact, Red Bull were not only celebrating the Dutchman: Isack also had his birthday this week. The Austrian marque’s drivers were born just two days apart, albeit several trips around the world away. Hadjar turned 22 on 28 September, while Verstappen turned 29 yesterday.

Cover photo: X, Red Bull; internal photo: X, Red Bull

Formula 1 returns to Malaysia after almost nine years. Absent from the calendar since 2017, Sepang will host the relocated Bahrain GP from 2 to 4 October following the cancellation of Sakhir. It will be the 16th round of the 2026 season and one of the most comprehensive tests for the new cars.

The Sepang International Circuit measures 5.543 kilometres, with 15 corners, 10 right-handers and five left-handers, plus two long straights. The layout alternates heavy braking zones, high-speed corners and more technical sections, demanding a delicate compromise between downforce, efficiency, stability and traction.

Compared with Baku, a far more complete car will be required here. Turns 5 and 6 demand stability and downforce, while the long straights reward efficiency and top speed. There are also low-speed exits where traction and torque management become decisive. The track is also very wide and allows for different racing lines. The first sector combines heavy braking, changes of direction and slow acceleration zones; the middle sector chiefly tests balance; while speed and efficiency come back into focus in the final sector before the braking zone for Turn 15.

Sepang will also be particularly interesting for the use of Straight Mode. The FIA has identified four zones in which the cars will be able to simultaneously adjust the angle of attack of the front and rear wings to reduce drag: on the main straight, between Turns 3 and 4, between Turns 8 and 9, and between Turns 14 and 15.
 

Overtake Mode will also have a very clear configuration: the detection point will be on the exit of Turn 15, with activation at the beginning of the main straight. Drivers passing within one second of the car ahead will therefore be able to benefit from the additional electrical profile provided for by the 2026 regulations on the following lap, with particular significance on the long start-finish straight.

The environmental conditions should not be underestimated either. High heat and humidity place cooling, brakes and Power Units under pressure, while the high lateral loads particularly stress the front-left tyre. And, as is often the case in Malaysia, rain can change the picture within minutes.

Mercedes at Sepang

Mercedes has also brought its first new parts to Sepang, the opening phase of a substantial planned upgrade package, from revised sidepods to the floor. The first images reveal a more pronounced downward slope of the sidepods towards the floor, with a geometry more closely recalling Red Bull's philosophy and, curiously, the one used by McLaren before its Baku upgrade. 

A new engine cover section with additional shark-gill openings is particularly evident. Mercedes is clearly concerned about the Malaysian heat, also in light of the reliability problems experienced by its Power Units.

Ferrari at Sepang

Ferrari has also brought some new parts. The first images from the pitlane suggest the team has once again modified the splitter, in the lower front area of the chassis. This is a particularly important element for managing the airflow directed towards the floor and, consequently, for the operation of the underfloor aerodynamics, an area in which the Maranello engineers had already intervened at the start of the season. It will be interesting to assess the geometry and scope of the change with more detailed images.

Ferrari at Sepang - Photo by @AlbertFabrega

McLaren at Sepang

The latest images have allowed us to observe how teams are interpreting airflow management around the sidepods differently, but are ultimately converging on two or three philosophies. McLaren is particularly interesting, having significantly altered the interface between the sidepod and floor with the package introduced at Baku. The new geometry now appears much closer to Ferrari's solution, while retaining differences in the overall management of airflow towards the floor and rear of the car.

Article being updated...

2026 Bahrain GP: complete guide

This is the fourth of the six features we regularly publish on formula1.it to accompany the build-up to every race weekend: alongside the first images from the pitlane and set-up choices, we also cover Pirelli's tyre and strategy information, analysis of brakes and energy management, the event's TV and streaming schedule, official updates, and the table of power unit components used.

According to Brembo engineers, the Sepang International Circuit falls into the category of circuits that are moderately demanding on brakes, with a difficulty rating of 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. The brakes are used six times per lap for a total of 13.2 seconds: three braking zones are classified as Hard, one as Medium and two as Light. In five of these, deceleration reaches at least 3g.

The most demanding braking zone

According to Brembo simulations, the toughest point for the braking system is Turn 15, the final corner before the main straight. The cars will arrive there at around 307km/h before slowing to just 93km/h. The braking phase will last 2.58 seconds and cover 121 metres. During this phase, drivers will have to apply an impressive 189kg of force to the brake pedal, reaching deceleration of 4.7g. Braking power will peak at 2,177kW.

Energy management

Bahrain GP 2026: complete guide

This is the third of six in-depth features we regularly publish on formula1.it in the build-up to every race weekend: alongside Brembo’s analysis of braking and energy management, there is Pirelli’s study and information on degradation and strategies, the event’s TV and streaming schedule, official updates, the first images and set-ups from the pit lane, as well as the table of power unit components used.

Among the many areas affected was a radical evolution of the sidepods, whose volumes and surfaces have a major influence on the operation of the entire aerodynamic platform.

Audi’s engineers retained the distinctive choices made at the front of the sidepods, accentuating certain surfaces to exert greater control over the airflow.

At the rear, however, the team adopted the solution introduced by Red Bull from the Austrian Grand Prix onwards, featuring sidepods that taper progressively downwards and incorporate a prominent upper chute.

The ultimate aim is to channel the airflow passing over the top of the sidepods towards the upper surface of the diffuser, enhancing its effectiveness.

The workaround used by Red Bull and AUDI

The 2026 regulations sought to prevent the use of this technical solution by imposing relatively large minimum radii in the transition areas between bodywork elements, but Red Bull and AUDI managed to recreate the desired effect by exploiting a regulatory loophole.

The sharp profile visible on both cars, which keeps the airflow within the channel, is not officially classed as bodywork, but is formally declared as part of the floor-stiffening tie-rod. The carbon skin rests directly on this component and, in the areas where the tie-rod meets the sidepod, the minimum-radius rules do not apply, allowing designers to create this sharply defined separation.

These interesting and clever interpretations of the rules regarding what constitutes bodywork and what is considered part of the floor have been deemed legal for the current season, but the Federation has introduced the appropriate changes in the draft 2027 regulations published at the beginning of last August.

Changes to the 2027 regulations

As well as banning systems similar to Ferrari’s FTM for next season, Article C3 clarifies in Article C3.2.9 that:

"All bodywork components and components beneath the bodywork described in points C3.5 to C3.11 and C3.14 to C3.15 must maintain tangency continuity".

The change was made specifically to C3.5.14, which governs the so-called "Floor Auxiliary Components", including the aforementioned tie-rods.

At present, the position of the mounting points is relatively unrestricted, which has allowed the very shallow longitudinal orientation seen on the RB22 and R26, helping to facilitate this technical solution. There are also currently no restrictions on the way in which this tie-rod intersects the bodywork, allowing the adoption of the shapes described above.

Next season, the amendment to the preceding clause will require, among other things, the tie-rod to be positioned within tighter limits and:

"the tie-rod must not intersect any bodywork surface, except within 25 mm of the inner and outer mounting points and within 7 mm of a maximum of two points located on the engine cover".

This final provision should not only eliminate the distinctive shapes that characterise the current cars from Milton Keynes and Hinwil, but also limit other imaginative interpretations, although, as the sport’s top category has taught us, one of the great sources of technical interest is precisely the constant and endless challenge between engineers and regulatory restrictions, which could lead to new and unprecedented forms.

A missed opportunity?

With hindsight, had it not been for Friday’s disastrous qualifying session, Max Verstappen would have been marking George Russell closely. In the interests of fairness, however, it must be said that on the medium tyre the four-time world champion was unable to get rid of Oscar Piastri, just as those ahead of him had been in the preceding laps. That level of competitiveness had already been apparent thanks to his French team-mate’s excellent qualifying performance. Jos’s son, aside from the serious mistake in the Netherlands, has taken six podiums in eight Grands Prix since the Austrian Grand Prix (four runner-up finishes and two third places). In a hypothetical mini-championship covering the last eight rounds, Verstappen has scored 24 points fewer than Antonelli. In many of them, the Dutch star’s driving skill was fundamental, but the car’s development has been relentless and has brought performance to the package.

The revolution under way

The most interesting figure concerns the constructors’ standings. Despite Verstappen fighting for the title until the final corner last year, Red Bull have more points in the constructors’ championship after 15 rounds this season (49 points more). After years of cars that were virtually undriveable for his team-mates, the RB22 also allowed Liam Lawson to perform respectably in the three rounds in which he replaced Hadjar. Proof that this is not simply a matter of driving compatibility between Isack and Max. The 2026 single-seater is not a “mouse” set to 100% sensitivity, as Alex Albon once put it in an attempt to explain the hypersensitivity of previous Austrian cars. On the contrary, Max has disproved those who claimed that only certain set-ups or a car’s inherent characteristics could bring out his talent.

That is precisely the question at the heart of the third and final part of our exclusive interview with Jarno Zaffelli and Dromo. This time, however, the focus has shifted from the Madring to the single-seaters that raced on it.

In the first two parts of our investigation, we reconstructed a story that is far more complex than it might appear from simply looking at the circuit layout. Dromo, the Italian company that designed the Madring, claimed authorship of the layout but also explained how, after its supervisory role ended in September 2025, several fundamental elements were allegedly changed from the original intentions.

We began with the origins of the project, the urban planning constraints of the IFEMA site and the subsequent involvement of Tilke, also addressing the delicate contractual issue raised by the Italian company. Dromo’s position was very clear: "The track is as we designed it. If you look at it from above, it is ours. But the result has been altered."

In the second part, we examined the technical heart of the Madring. Turn 5, the different configuration of Turn 11, the entry to Monumental, camber, gradients, kerbs and asphalt: changes which, according to Dromo, left the design seen from above substantially unchanged but profoundly altered the way the cars tackle some of the key sequences.

All of this, however, may explain only part of what we saw during the Spanish Grand Prix. Designing a modern circuit is not only about the track: it is also about the car for which that track is devised. And the Madring faced a particular difficulty: it was conceived while the FIA and Formula 1 were still defining the characteristics of an entirely new generation of single-seaters.

The project was therefore developed against a backdrop of evolving regulations, changing simulations and power unit characteristics that we were only able to observe on track in 2026. The management of electrical energy has emerged as one of the most significant technical themes of the new Formula 1.

At the end of the race, discussions had already taken place in depth on Sunday evening about possible changes for next year, with Toto Wolff even confirming that the organisers were in contact with the FIA over changes to certain sections of the circuit. Dromo, however, identifies two separate issues. The first predates the race: some geometries and characteristics of the built track already differed from Dromo’s design intention and, according to the designers, that was enough to change the behaviour of certain sequences. The second emerged during the weekend: the specific management of the 2026 Power Unit.

The provocation remains simple, but it is more precise: before changing Madrid again, also look at how much of the lap was run with the Alt 1 delivery curve and what happened to speeds between qualifying and the race.

Dromo does not deny the problems that emerged during the first Grand Prix. It does, however, challenge the notion that the solution must necessarily involve an immediate change to the layout. "When they say, ‘We will make changes for next year,’ I think: ‘Make them,’ because I know they can only move by a few metres."

According to the Italian designers, the first Grand Prix held at the Madring did not provide a faithful test of the intentions behind the circuit’s conception. And, Dromo insists, the point is not to shift responsibility onto the FIA: the geometric changes alone were already enough to mean the design intention was not reproduced in full. The energy issue is an additional factor, not a replacement for it.

The power issue

The central issue concerns the characteristics of the 2026 power units and the management of electrical energy over the lap.

Dromo argues that energy management had a particularly significant impact in Madrid: "Before changing the track again, I would look at the data and then assess it." The reference to 66% concerns the portion affected by Alt 1, not a percentage of power removed. The FIA’s official document of 10 September indicates Alt 1 from T5 to T22, in the 1,500-5,100-metre window: 3.6km of the 5.416km lap, or around 66.5% of the distance. The same document indicates a Power Limited Distance of 3,206 metres and, in certain specific sectors, a maximum permitted PU reduction of up to 350kW: this is a regulatory limit and does not mean the cars ran continuously with 350kW less.

The point raised by Zaffelli is therefore another one: "If such a long part of the lap is completed with a different delivery curve, before concluding that another change to the track will solve the problem, it is necessary to separate the effect of the geometry from that of the Power Unit. But let us not confuse the two levels: for us, some geometric changes had already altered the track before Alt 1 even came into play."

The principle expressed by Zaffelli is clear: a track designed with certain expected levels of car performance in mind can behave differently if the cars reach certain points with energy characteristics different from those anticipated during the development phase. Dromo also compared the average speed of eight drivers between qualifying and the race: in the Alt 1 sector, the average race deficit against qualifying was around 10.9km/h, compared with around 4.1km/h outside that sector. The figure alone does not prove that Alt 1 caused the four overtakes, but it shows where the observed loss of performance in the race was concentrated.

The comparison with Formula 2

In support of his position, Jarno also drew a comparison with Formula 2: "Look at F2, that was beautiful." For Dromo, it is an illustrative comparison rather than causal proof: above all, it serves as a reminder that the same geometry can produce different races with different cars and energy profiles.

The underlying track is the same, but Dromo stresses that the as-built version does not fully match its design intention and that, in addition, the cars and energy management are different. "Why must we immediately start by saying: ‘The track needs to be changed’? First, let us separate the effects and understand what we are actually correcting."

Zaffelli then explained that he and his team had repeatedly modified the project to keep pace with regulations that continued to evolve: "We found ourselves working continuously with the FIA and F1, with projects that kept changing as we tried to adapt to what the regulations appeared to be heading towards."

A particularly complex situation for those tasked with designing infrastructure intended to remain in place for years.

The Monumental itself is an example of how Dromo had already adapted the project to the evolution of the cars and the anticipated loads. "The decisive step was from 35% to 24% banking: with the characteristics emerging for the 2026 single-seaters, we had identified a prolonged high-g section, in the region of 4.5 seconds, and reduced the inclination precisely to keep the loads under control."

Dromo is not claiming that the Madring is untouchable. The point it makes is more nuanced: before deciding which corners to change, it is necessary to understand how much of what we saw in the first edition genuinely depended on the circuit.

The asphalt, camber and some geometries are said to already differ from the original project: for Dromo, this comes first and is already enough to explain why the configuration that was built cannot be seen as a pure test of the original design intention. Added to this is an entirely new generation of single-seaters, with energy management that affected an exceptionally long part of the lap in Madrid.

Changing the track again would mean acting on a target that, according to Dromo, has already shifted several times. "If we continue like this, we only distort the result and, by doing so, the problem is no longer the theatre, but the company of actors."

A phrase that sums up the Italian designers’ position, with one clarification: according to Dromo, the stage had already been altered from the design; the behaviour of the cars in the race added a second layer. Before rewriting the Madring once more, it is necessary to understand which of the two effects is being corrected.

We thank Jarno Zaffelli and Studio Dromo for their courtesy and availability during the interview. Partial reproduction of this exclusive content is permitted provided the author (Giuseppe Cianci) and Formula1.it are credited, with a link to the original content.

Photos: Madring

Here are the drivers' ratings

Red Bull: 8.5

A solid weekend for Red Bull. They have been on the podium for three races in a row. They are making the most of it and are on the way back.

Verstappen: 9.5
A superb weekend for Max, who finished on the podium after an attacking race. He just lacked the final blow.

Hadjar: 9
His return race ended with a podium. Quick and error-free. Applause. He did his job brilliantly.

Ferrari: 5

A negative weekend for Ferrari, underwhelming and struggling. They are in a difficult spell and need a response.

Leclerc: 8
A good weekend for Charles, fourth after a great race despite a slow SF-26. There was little more he could do.

Hamilton: 6
A mediocre and much-criticised weekend for Lewis, sixth after a difficult race. A shame.

Mercedes: 10

A statement performance from Mercedes, victorious with a clearly superior car. They dominated.

Russell: 10
A comeback race for George, taking victory after pole position and the fastest lap. The start of a revival?

Antonelli: 7
A Lauda-style recovery drive for Kimi after a major qualifying error. His first false step...

McLaren: 5.5

An unlucky weekend for McLaren, who threw away points through incidents and mistakes. One to review.

Norris: N.C.
A dreadful weekend for Lando, out after plenty of bad luck despite McLaren's updated car.

Piastri: 5
A negative weekend for Oscar in a revised car. P14 after mistakes and bad luck.

Aston Martin: 4

Aston returned to the abyss, with a slow and unreliable car. Highs and lows.

Alonso: N.C.
Fernando fought with heart in an Aston clearly on the decline. Retired, always struggling.

Stroll: N.C.
An unrateable race for Lance in an unwatchable Aston. Retired with technical problems.

Alpine: 2

A disastrous performance from Alpine, with an internal harakiri. Poor, they need to put it all behind them.

Gasly: N.C.
His race ended prematurely after being hit by Colapinto. A shame, as they could have scored big points.

Colapinto: 2
In his second year in F1, he made a mistake in Baku and put both Gasly and himself out. A major error.

Racing Bulls: 6.5

A positive weekend for RB, with a quick car and points on the board. Well done.

Lindblad: 8.5
His race ended in the points as he took his opportunities. He beat Lawson comprehensively...

Lawson: 5.5
A passable race for Liam, back at VCARB with little pace and no mistakes. And no points.

Audi: 5.5

A mixed weekend for Audi, with no points despite the incidents. Reliable, but lacking consistency...

Hulkenberg: 7
His race ended in P11, without any flashes but with plenty of solidity. He did what he could...

Bortoleto: 5.5
Not a great day for Gabriel, out of the points in an Audi out of form. Behind Hulk...

Haas: 7.5

Three positive days for Haas: strong in the race and in the points. A breath of fresh air.

Ocon: 9
A good weekend for Esteban with an average Haas. P18, he returns to the points. Well done.

Bearman: 8
Ollie's progress continues. He pushes, fights and delivers. The Haas helps him. P9.

Williams: 6

Williams did not impress. They returned to the points thanks to incidents. The difficulties and errors remain.

Sainz: 7
A good weekend for Carlos, in the points with a Williams showing slight improvement. Very good.

Albon: N.C.
An unrateable day for Alex. He tried to respond, but the Williams did not help. Out after a mistake.

Cadillac: 5

Cadillac's difficult journey continues, at the back and without points. Plenty of work to do...

Perez: 6
He returns to F1, but the Cadillac does not help. He finished last without any standout moments or fights. It will be a long road.

Bottas: N.C.
He returns to F1 but makes no impact, hampered by a slow and unreliable Cadillac. Retired following his own error.

With the Azerbaijan GP now done, F1 will meet its fans again in a week's time at Sepang for the Bahrain GP... in Malaysia.