Max Verstappen starts from pole position at Sepang, but Ferrari has every reason to attack in the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton will line up alongside the Red Bull driver on the front row, while Charles Leclerc moves onto the second row after Isack Hadjar’s grid penalty.
Follow the Bahrain GP race live from Malaysia, with the action at Sepang beginning at 09:00 CET. Ferrari heads into Sunday with a stronger opportunity than it had at the difficult Baku street circuit, while tyre management is expected to become one of the defining factors of the Grand Prix.
19:48 – The engines are warming up at Sepang in Malaysia, venue for the 2026 Formula 1 Bahrain GP. Follow the race live from 08:30 CET, with the Grand Prix scheduled to start at 09:00 CET. Full weekend timings and circuit information are available in the 2026 Bahrain GP at Sepang schedule and circuit guide.
Updated Bahrain GP starting grid at Sepang and all penalties
Max Verstappen emerged on top in the Malaysian heat, with the Hasselt-born driver returning to pole position for the first time since Abu Dhabi last year. The Red Bull driver produced an excellent qualifying performance on Saturday at Sepang, confirming the progress made with the Milton Keynes car.
Alongside Max Verstappen will be the Ferrari #44 of Lewis Hamilton. The British driver produced an excellent Q3 lap in a car that appeared well balanced, with its main weakness showing on the straights. Lewis Hamilton celebrated over the radio at the end of the session.
Ferrari, which has often been less convincing in qualifying, now has an opportunity to start near the front and fight for a major result. The Malaysian circuit appears considerably more favourable to the SF-26 than the difficult Baku street track.
The third-fastest time in Q3 was set by the other Red Bull of Isack Hadjar. However, the French driver must serve a grid penalty and will surrender his position to Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes. Ferrari can also take encouragement from Charles Leclerc’s result: after setting the fifth-fastest overall time, the Monegasque will start from the second row.
Isack Hadjar’s penalty is not the only sanction affecting the Sepang starting order. Check the complete Bahrain GP starting grid for all the latest changes.
Heat and tyre degradation could shape Ferrari’s Bahrain GP strategy
Tyre management is expected to be the key factor in the Malaysian Grand Prix. That has become one of the main themes around the Formula 1 paddock at Sepang, where Malaysia’s humid heat and the highly abrasive asphalt are expected to push teams towards a race featuring at least two pit stops.
In those conditions, Ferrari can be optimistic. The SF-26 has frequently shown itself to be relatively gentle on its tyres, meaning victory at Sepang does not appear out of reach. The choice of compounds and their behaviour in Malaysia could also play an important role, with Pirelli’s Sepang tyre compounds potentially suiting Ferrari’s SF-26 better than the previous round.
There are still significant threats. The race pace displayed by Ferrari’s rivals during free practice, particularly Red Bull and McLaren, appeared promising. Mercedes, meanwhile, did not show the same level of form despite bringing a substantial upgrade package and is still learning how to extract its potential.
However, the championship leaders cannot be underestimated. Kimi Antonelli is not far away and will start from the second row, leaving Ferrari with several major rivals to manage over what is expected to be a demanding race.
With high degradation likely to influence stint lengths and the timing of the expected multiple stops, the complete compound usage and race patterns can be followed through the F1 Tyre & Stint Analysis.
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