Max Verstappen Claims First Pole Position of 2026 Season in Malaysia
· Sports · BBC Sport, ESPN
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the 2026 season with the fastest time during qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Verstappen finished 0.298 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who claimed second place on the front row. Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar finished third fastest but carries a five-place grid penalty, promoting championship leader Kimi Antonelli to third. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took fifth place ahead of McLarens Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Fernando Alonso placed 12th to deliver Aston Martin their best qualifying result of the year.
Why it matters
The qualifying result sets up a front-row reunion between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, reviving rivalries ahead of Sunday's grand prix.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
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