Verstappen Takes First Pole of 2026

Max Verstappen delivered Red Bull its biggest qualifying result of the season at Sepang, taking his first pole position of 2026 with a 1:35.130.

Verstappen topped every qualifying segment before beating Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds in Q3. It marks Verstappen's first pole of the year and comes at the circuit where he won the last Formula 1 race held in Malaysia in 2017. 

Hamilton secured P2 with a 1:35.428, putting Ferrari on the front row after struggling with tyre degradation earlier in the weekend.

First pole of 2026. Back at Sepang. Verstappen delivers.

Antonelli Tops FP3 but Mercedes Slips in Qualifying

Earlier on Saturday, championship leader Kimi Antonelli had looked like the driver to beat.

The Mercedes youngster topped FP3 with a 1:36.302, finishing 0.278s ahead of Verstappen. Isack Hadjar was third, followed by George Russell and Charles Leclerc.

But Mercedes couldn't carry that advantage into qualifying.

Antonelli qualified fourth but will start P3 because Hadjar, who qualified third, has a five-place grid penalty. Russell could manage only eighth in qualifying and is promoted to P7 on the starting grid. 

The result is particularly significant because Russell enters Sunday's race 66 points behind Antonelli in the Drivers' Championship.

Mercedes Upgrade Raises Questions

Mercedes arrived in Malaysia with a significant W17 development package, but team principal Toto Wolff admitted after qualifying that the upgrades had not delivered as expected.

According to Wolff, Mercedes encountered unexpected handling problems and lost straight-line performance, despite Antonelli's pace in FP3. The team will now analyse why the car dropped away when qualifying began.

McLaren also struggled to challenge for the front row. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will line up together on the third row, leaving both with work to do against Verstappen, Hamilton and Antonelli.

Sepang Sets Up a Huge Sunday

For Winbox Racing, Saturday has transformed the picture heading into Formula 1's long-awaited race return to Sepang.

Verstappen has pole. Hamilton starts alongside him. Championship leader Antonelli inherits third, while Russell faces a recovery drive from seventh.

Hadjar, meanwhile, drops from an impressive third in qualifying to P8, despite showing front-running speed throughout the weekend.

Sepang's high temperatures and abrasive surface are also expected to make tyre management a major factor over the Grand Prix distance.

The Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia starts Sunday, October 4 at 3:00pm Malaysia time.

Verstappen P1. Hamilton P2. Antonelli P3.

After nine years, Formula 1 is ready to race at Sepang again.

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