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F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Verstappen Dominates for First Pole of 2026 From Hamilton
Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton by 0.298 seconds for his first pole of 2026, while several grid penalties will reshape the starting order.
- On Saturday, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli topped final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit with a 1:36.302 lap, outpacing Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.
- Mercedes optimized their W17 performance overnight after Friday struggles, allowing Antonelli to set the benchmark at Sepang, which hosts Formula One for the first time since 2017.
- A mid-session red flag halted practice when debris from Haas driver Oliver Bearman's brake duct shed at Turn 10, forcing teams to compress qualifying simulations into final minutes.
- Max Verstappen secured pole position for Sunday's race, edging Antonelli, who qualified second after track limit deletions during his Q2 run compromised his final session preparation.
- Sunday's race grid features adjustments: Isack Hadjar serves a five-place penalty for an engine change, while Franco Colapinto starts at the back after a 15-place grid drop.
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130 Articles
130 Articles
Max Verstappen had to wait a long time. Now he has the first pole this year. Now he wants the first victory. In Malaysia Kimi Antonelli is not only sweating because of the heat.
The Dutch driver of Red Bull will be in pole position on Sunday in Malaysia for the first time of the season.
Waiting for the first pole position has come to an end for the Dutchman. Is he ending the victory curse on Sunday?
·Berlin, Germany
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Sydney Morning Herald+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
Verstappen takes first non-Mercedes powered pole of 2026
Max Verstappen will be joined with Lewis Hamilton on the front row for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
·North Sydney, Australia
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Max Verstappen takes first pole position of the year in Malaysia
·Stockholm, Sweden
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Total News Sources130
Leaning Left14Leaning Right16Center19Last UpdatedBias Distribution39% Center
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources are Center
39% Center
L 28%
C 39%
R 33%
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