# Verstappen wins chaotic Bahrain GP in Malaysia > Max Verstappen dominated a rain-delayed race in Malaysia as Lewis Hamilton recovered from a poor tyre choice and George Russell's title hopes ended with a power unit failure. - Title: Verstappen wins chaotic Bahrain GP in Malaysia · BBC Sport - Summary: Max Verstappen dominated a rain-delayed race in Malaysia as Lewis Hamilton recovered from a poor tyre choice and George Russell's title hopes ended with a… - Keywords: max verstappen, red bull, bahrain grand prix, malaysia, lewis hamilton, george russell, mercedes, formula 1, kimi antonelli, sports, Verstappen, wins - Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c5n49zx3zlvwo - Published: 2026-10-04T10:32:37.428+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: max verstappen, red bull, bahrain grand prix, malaysia, lewis hamilton, george russell, mercedes, formula 1, kimi antonelli, sports ## Verstappen wins after long delays Max Verstappen took Red Bull's first win of the year at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after a one hour and a half delay caused by heavy rain and technical problems. ## Antonelli closes on title Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes, extending his championship lead over team-mate George Russell to eighty four points with either six or seven races remaining. ## Russell's title hopes end George Russell retired from third place with a power unit failure with five laps to go, effectively ending his already faint title hopes for the year. ## Hamilton's extraordinary recovery Lewis Hamilton drove an extraordinary race after dropping towards the back with an incorrect tyre choice for a wet start, fighting back to pass Red Bull's Isack Hadjar for third place with three laps to go. ## Race delayed by rain and glitches The race was delayed by heavy rain and then by technical problems that left several cars crawling during formation laps on the wet track behind the safety car. ## Software issue caused formation lap chaos Verstappen and Hamilton were among cars afflicted by a software issue that left them unable to do more than crawl along during formation laps, caused by weather, low speed, wet-weather energy management settings and circuit layout. ## FIA issued software update The FIA issued a software update removing the constraint on energy limits during the start delay to enable teams to resolve the issue, though the field order was jumbled. ## Verstappen takes control after restart Once the race restarted in its original order, Verstappen passed Kimi Antonelli at Turn Four on the lap after the safety car ended and was in total control from that moment on. ## Hamilton's tyre gamble backfired Hamilton chose soft-compound slicks at the start on the still-wet track after a torrential tropical downpour and immediately regretted the decision, dropping to seventeenth place within a few laps. > 'I didn't think I'd get back to third place' ## Hamilton stayed out during safety car Hamilton stayed out during the first safety car, sticking with soft tyres, and when the race restarted he began picking off cars in front of him, driving an excellent race to get back into contention. ## Late safety car gave Hamilton his chance A late safety car caused by Alex Albon's stricken Williams led to everyone switching to fresh tyres for a four-lap dash to the flag, giving Hamilton the chance to switch to soft tyres. ## Alonso scores for Aston Martin Fernando Alonso scored points for Aston Martin for only the third time this year after their strongest performance of the year, finishing eighth. ## Singapore next for triple-header finale A relentless triple-header beginning in Azerbaijan and stopping in Malaysia concludes in Singapore on Sunday, October eleventh, a night race undertaken in hot and humid conditions. ## Key takeaway Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after a one hour and a half delay caused by heavy rain and technical problems, with Lewis Hamilton recovering from a poor start to finish third and George Russell's title challenge effectively ended.