Verstappen seizes first pole of the season for Bahrain GP

Max Verstappen claimed his first pole position of the 2026 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, posting a time of 1m 35.130s. He beat Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds, with Isack Hadjar qualifying third but set to receive a five-place grid penalty for the race. Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth, ahead of Charles Leclerc, while the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took sixth and seventh.