# Verstappen Wins Red Bull’s First 2026 Race

> Max Verstappen secures Red Bull’s first 2026 victory after overcoming early struggles.
- Title: Verstappen Wins Red Bull’s First 2026 Race · Autoweek
- Summary: Max Verstappen secures Red Bull’s first 2026 victory after overcoming early struggles. Max Verstappen won his first race of the 2026 season for Red Bull…
- Keywords: max verstappen, red bull racing, formula 1, sepang, bahrain grand prix, mercedes, lewis hamilton, kimi antonelli, ferrari, aston martin, cadillac, f1 drivers standings
- Source: Autoweek — https://autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a74013786/max-verstappen-first-2026-victory-bahrain-malaysia
- Author: Phillip Horton
- Published: 2026-10-04T16:47:41+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: max verstappen, red bull racing, formula 1, sepang, bahrain grand prix, mercedes, lewis hamilton, kimi antonelli, ferrari, aston martin, cadillac, f1 drivers standings
## Verstappen Ends Red Bull’s Wait
Max Verstappen delivered Red Bull Racing’s first victory of the 2026 season at Sepang in Malaysia.
## Red Bull’s Early Struggles
Red Bull Racing faced challenges with a new power unit and struggled to compete early in the 2026 season.
## Verstappen’s Contract Extension
Verstappen extended his contract through 2030 during his resurgence with Red Bull Racing.
## Verstappen’s Race Performance
Verstappen overhauled Mercedes drivers early, then passed George Russell before pouncing on Kimi Antonelli at the restart.
## First DM01 Power Unit Win
Verstappen won with Red Bull’s first DM01 power unit, a project initiated by Dietrich Mateschitz before his death in 2022.
## Russell’s Title Hopes Diminish
George Russell’s slim title hopes were extinguished after his Mercedes power unit failed during the race.
## Russell’s Engine Penalty
Russell received an engine penalty, setting him to start from the back of the grid in the next race.
## Antonelli’s Title Lead
Kimi Antonelli extended his lead to 84 points, becoming Formula 1’s youngest world champion.
## Hamilton’s Recovery
Lewis Hamilton recovered from a poor start to finish fifth after a late set-up change and dry restart.
## Hamilton’s Race Strategy
Hamilton used soft tires to surge through the midfield and secure his first podium since Silverstone.
## Alonso’s Strong Finish
Fernando Alonso scored an eighth-place finish with Aston Martin, his best result of the 2026 season.
## Alonso’s Strategy
Alonso used slick tires in the wet to outpace Ferraris and secure an eighth-place finish.
## Formation Lap Chaos
A 40-minute rain delay caused formation lap chaos, leading to a 50-minute delay for safety adjustments.
## FIA Technical Response
The FIA updated software to address power unit issues after a race delay caused by heavy rain.
## Verstappen’s Critique
Verstappen called the race a 'Lego race' due to the complexity of new power units.
## Race Results Summary
Verstappen won, Antonelli second, Hamilton third, and Leclerc fourth in the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix.
## Key takeaway

Max Verstappen won his first race of the 2026 season for Red Bull Racing, ending their wait with a victory at Sepang.