Verstappen ends pole wait at Bahrain GP in Malaysia but Russell risks losing more ground

Max Verstappen claimed his first pole position of the 2025 season for Red Bull at the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton starting second on the front row. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth, while his title rival and teammate George Russell could only manage eighth place on the grid. The significant gap between championship leader Antonelli and Russell puts the latter at risk of losing further ground in the Formula One title fight.