The Dutch driver Max Verstappen has secured the first pole position of the season for Red Bull, finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. He led every session throughout the day and took the top spot, with Hamilton settling for second place on the front row.
Hamilton and Verstappen will begin Sunday’s race at 8am (build-up from 6.30am) live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event, with both drivers sharing the front row for the first time in over three years. The pair were last together on the grid in 2023, and now they start side by side in Malaysia.
Verstappen’s Qualifying Run
From beginning to end, Verstappen was the driver to beat in the session. He set the pace in final practice, leading by nearly three tenths over Hamilton. That margin kept widening through the sessions, growing to a few tenths over the field as qualifying moved forward, which is how he took pole position.
Verstappen claimed provisional pole ahead of team-mate Isack Hadjar by three tenths during his initial outings, leaving the Ferraris and McLarens behind him. Hamilton then put together a strong lap to join the front row, though he could not move Verstappen from the summit. The four-time world champion pushed harder still on his concluding Q3 run, which secured pole for him.
Verstappen said “It’s fantastic. We have been trying many Grands Prix to get pole. Sometimes a bit closer than others but to finally get it, from where we started the season, pretty incredible,”.
“I’m happy with today and, for sure, I’m going to try and win tomorrow. When you start first, that’s the target.”
Mercedes Struggle With Track Conditions
The Silver Arrows came into Malaysia as clear favourites to run away with the weekend. Their first major upgrade package since May’s Canadian Grand Prix was on display, and championship leader Kimi Antonelli led final practice. The track itself proved to be the biggest obstacle.
Mercedes have been hit harder by the track’s rough surface and extreme heat than any other team. The road is cracked and harsh, and the tyres are suffering greatly. Russell put it plainly.
“It’s a very demanding circuit on the tyres, the tarmac is all broke up, it’s extremely rough, it’s so hot out there and the tyres are going through hell,” Russell told Sky Sports F1.
“For whatever reason, it seems to be affecting us far more than others.”
Antonelli’s Costly Mistake
A costly error during Q2 kept Antonelli from reaching pole position. His lap was deleted after he ventured beyond the track limits, and Mercedes responded by fitting another fresh set of softs to his car to make sure he made it through to Q3. That decision meant he entered the final session with just one new set of softs, and those tyres are only able to endure for a single lap.
Though Antonelli did not get the limit right, he qualified fourth, trailing the penalised Hadjar by half a second and sitting just behind Verstappen. Come Sunday, he will start from third place.
Russell’s Seventh Place Struggle
A poor qualifying run left George Russell starting seventh on the grid. Throughout Saturday he struggled to match pace with his rivals, while his team-mate Antonelli has tended to be faster this year in the wide, medium-speed corners that define Malaysia.
The win in Baku gave Russell a strong position coming into Malaysia, where he had said “confidence is back.”. Yet the heat and humidity have proven difficult for him, just as many expected they would.
Sunday’s race will be a steep climb for him, since he could not match Antonelli’s pace during final practice and qualifying. That puts him at a disadvantage when it comes to building serious title momentum against his team-mate.
The Rest Of The Field
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will be fourth, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who were never in contention for pole. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was the fastest driver outside F1’s top four teams in ninth, from Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto in 10th.
The Silver Arrows had their finest qualifying session since the summer break, with Fernando Alonso securing 12th and Lance Stroll 14th on the grid. Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad assisted his teammate Liam Lawson by providing a slipstream during Q2, though Lawson narrowly fell short and will begin the race from 11th after altering his power unit.
Third in qualifying matched Hadjar’s best career result, though a five-grid place penalty for a new internal combustion engine means he will begin the race from eighth position instead.
A Duel Worth Watching
Where the real action happens is up front, at the very beginning of the race. Verstappen and Hamilton will line up side by side at the start for the first time in over three years, a pairing whose shared past promises a charged atmosphere leading into the event.
Martin Brundle’s reaction captured the moment perfectly.
“Verstappen versus Hamilton. Imagine that! What could possibly go wrong…”
What Sunday Holds
The race begins at 8am on Sunday, with coverage starting from 6.30am. It airs live on Sky Sports F1 and the Main Event. Verstappen has taken victory in the past three races, and with significant upgrades on his vehicle, he looks set to be the driver to catch.
A second Ferrari victory of the season is what Hamilton is chasing. Antonelli holds the lead in the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of Russell by 66 points, and he will begin the race from third place on the grid. Russell, meanwhile, has the seventh position to start from.
Sunday’s race at the track might arrive under similar circumstances to Saturday’s practice session. The surface is rough, the heat is intense, and the rubber is pushed to its limits.
Red Bull’s Verstappen is the car to beat at the moment, with Hamilton sharing the front row alongside him, while Russell has some ground to make up just to stay within reach of his own team-mate.
The sport has positioned itself as well as it possibly can for this event. The front row is occupied by two of the greatest drivers of their generation, a track that suits neither team ideally, and a championship fight that could come down to Sunday’s result.
On Sunday, tune into Sky Sports F1 and the Main Event for the coverage, which begins at 8am, following build-up that starts at 6.30am.
Comparing The Front Row Pair
| Driver | Grid Position | Championship Standing |
|---|---|---|
| Verstappen | 1st | Not stated |
| Hamilton | 2nd | Behind Antonelli |
| Antonelli | 3rd | Championship leader |
| Russell | 7th | Behind Antonelli |
The Drivers By Grid Position
- Verstappen — 1st
- Hamilton — 2nd
- Antonelli — 3rd
- Russell — 7th
Source material: “Verstappen beats Hamilton to pole in Malaysia,” Sky Sports.
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