Max Verstappen returned to pole position at Sepang after going 15 consecutive Grands Prix without one, producing a spectacular 1:35.130 to beat an excellent Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying at Sepang. Isack Hadjar set the third-fastest time, although the Frenchman will serve a five-place grid penalty following an ICE change and will therefore start eighth.
Kimi Antonelli’s only attempt in Q3 was enough for fourth place, ahead of Charles Leclerc and the two McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. George Russell qualified eighth, while Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top ten. Alongside Isack Hadjar, Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto also carry grid penalties.
Q1: Max Verstappen fastest as Aston Martin reaches Q2
The engines fired up again in Malaysia following FP3, with qualifying taking place in demanding conditions at Sepang. Humidity stood at 50%, while the track temperature reached 59°C and the air temperature was 33°C. Mercedes arrived for the weekend with a new update for the W17 featuring a revised aerodynamic concept.
The two Haas drivers were first onto the track, both running the soft tyres, before the Mercedes and Red Bull cars followed. Ferrari chose a different approach and fitted the medium compound, freeing up tyre sets for the race. The strategy left Charles Leclerc with two sets of softs and one set of hards, while Lewis Hamilton retained two sets of hards and one set of softs. The tyre allocation could prove particularly important at a venue where Sepang’s Pirelli compounds present a different challenge for Ferrari’s SF-26.
Esteban Ocon was the first driver to set a time, taking the early lead with a 1:38.879 ahead of his Haas team-mate. Mercedes and Red Bull soon showed their pace, with the Milton Keynes cars moving ahead of the Silver Arrows as Max Verstappen became the first driver to break into the 1:36s with a 1:36.730.
Lewis Hamilton moved into second place, 0.118 seconds behind Max Verstappen, with Charles Leclerc following in third. Lando Norris initially sat seventh behind Kimi Antonelli, while Oscar Piastri was fourth. After completing their opening runs, every driver returned to the pits.
In the closing minutes of Q1, the drivers in or around the elimination zone returned to the track. Esteban Ocon, initially the first driver below the cut-off, switched to a second set of soft tyres but was unable to improve, with his team-mate also failing to make progress. Alpine and Aston Martin managed to escape elimination in the final seconds. Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Alexander Albon, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez were knocked out, while Max Verstappen finished Q1 fastest ahead of the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Q2: Max Verstappen stays ahead as Gabriel Bortoleto reaches Q3
Max Verstappen produced the first lap of the weekend in the 1:35s on his opening Q2 attempt, setting a 1:35.696. Behind the Dutchman came Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Kimi Antonelli then had his second-fastest time deleted for exceeding track limits, dropping the championship leader to 13th. With no time to waste, Kimi Antonelli immediately returned to the circuit alone on a fresh set of soft tyres. The Italian responded with a 1:35.959, climbing to second place behind only Max Verstappen. The wider championship context surrounding the Mercedes driver can also be followed through Kimi Antonelli’s championship advantage.
With one minute remaining in Q2, the drivers still needing to improve headed back onto the circuit. Racing Bulls attempted to use teamwork, with Arvid Lindblad providing Liam Lawson with a tow, but the New Zealander could only reach 11th and was eliminated.
Gabriel Bortoleto produced one of the standout laps of the session, taking Audi into Q3 on his final attempt. Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad were eliminated, while Max Verstappen remained fastest ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc.
Q3: Max Verstappen takes pole as Lewis Hamilton secures front row
The final qualifying session began with the pit exit remaining quiet for several minutes as the drivers delayed their first runs. Kimi Antonelli initially watched from the garage because he had only one fresh set of soft tyres available.
Isack Hadjar set the early benchmark with a 1:35.558 to take provisional pole. Neither Ferrari could initially beat that time, with Lewis Hamilton moving into second and Charles Leclerc third. Max Verstappen then improved on his team-mate’s benchmark with a 1:35.250.
With five minutes remaining, Kimi Antonelli finally left the garage for his single attempt on a relatively clear circuit, while George Russell was only seventh. The championship leader went third, just 0.073 seconds behind second-placed Isack Hadjar.
On the final runs, Max Verstappen found more performance and secured pole position with a 1:35.130. Lewis Hamilton also delivered an excellent final lap, moving ahead of Isack Hadjar to claim second place and a front-row start for Ferrari. The session’s gaps and sector performance can be explored further through the F1 Qualifying Pace & Sector Comparison.
Isack Hadjar recorded the third-fastest time but will drop five positions on the starting grid because of his engine penalty, meaning he will start the race from eighth rather than third. Kimi Antonelli completed Q3 in fourth place, ahead of Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
