Max Verstappen Wins as Kimi Antonelli Delivers the Verdict and Fernando Alonso Shines on Formula 1’s Day of Greatest Shame

Formula 1 has hit a low in Sepang. A genuinely entertaining race cannot hide the massive embarrassment beforehand, as they attempted to start in the rain and several cars from different teams stalled because the software froze and prevented them from accelerating. That was the first contact of this regulation with rain.

It was necessary to wait until the track was almost dry to get the start. And once that moment arrived, the spectacle at least made the wait worthwhile. Max Verstappen won his first race of the year, Lewis Hamilton clawed his way to the podium, and Fernando Alonso achieved his best result of the year after an impressive display.

Hamilton and Alonso rallied after a disastrous opening strategy

It is impossible to begin this discussion with the sports aspect after what we witnessed today in Sepang. As Formula 1 attempted to bring out its new cars onto the track for the first time in the rain, a glaring issue emerged for anyone paying attention: in F1 there are no longer cars, there are computers that drive themselves.

Several drivers from various teams were left stalled on the formation lap because the software prevented them from accelerating. Verstappen, Hamilton, and Lando Norris were among those affected. It involved more than half the field and led to a decision: back to the pits and wait for the rain to stop.

When the start finally happened, the show at least lived up to the wait. Verstappen won the race despite a dreadful start in which he lost ground to the two Mercedes. The Dutchman was clearly the fastest, so he fought his way back on track to secure his first triumph of the year.

The driver who seemed to be his main rival, Lewis Hamilton, got himself into a colossal strategic pickle, as he was among those who bet on dry-weather tires at the start when the track was still somewhat damp. Others like Fernando Alonso, the two McLarens, or his teammate Charles Leclerc followed him, making a complete misjudgment.

But the two safety cars, the first for Valtteri Bottas’s crash and the second for a mechanical issue on Alexander Albon, allowed them to regroup. And there Hamilton demonstrated his speed to reach third place on the podium, overtaking in the final laps a not-so-fine Isack Hadjar on the last restart.

The driver who leaves the world championship almost decided is Kimi Antonelli. The Italian finished second, surviving another chaotic race in which his teammate fell. George Russell had a mechanical problem under the Safety Car that sidelined him. Now Antonelli leads by 86 points and the title looks all but decided.

The day’s hero can only be Fernando Alonso. Despite an initial strategic misstep, the Asturian managed to climb to eighth place, delivering blistering pace and a barrage of overtakes. The cherry on top was keeping behind in the final laps Lando Norris, the current world champion, with a much superior McLaren. Alonso remains very much in contention.

Less fortunate was Carlos Sainz, who was taken out by Gabriel Bortoleto while running in the points. A notable drive by Liam Lawson, seventh with Racing Bulls. Charles Leclerc, who also botched the early dry-tyre choice, pulled off another commendable comeback to finish fourth. One more wish for Formula 1: that it improves.

Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 race results

Formula 1 World Championship standings

1st. Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes-ITA), 320 points

2nd. George RUSSELL (Mercedes-GBR), 236 points

3rd. Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari-GBR), 214 points

4th. Charles LECLERC (Ferrari-MON), 191 points

5th. Lando NORRIS (McLaren-GBR), 188 points

Images | Mercedes, Red Bull