Max Verstappen delivered a dominant performance to win the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, marking Red Bull's first victory of the season. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes finished second, while his teammate and title rival George Russell was forced to retire with five laps remaining due to a power unit issue.
Russell's retirement has reportedly shattered his title hopes, leaving Antonelli within touching distance of the championship with an 84-point lead and seven meetings remaining. Lewis Hamilton secured third place for Ferrari after a remarkable comeback, having started on slick tyres in wet conditions and dropping to 17th.
The race was preceded by chaotic scenes as the season's new engine formula struggled in wet conditions for the first time. A 45-minute delay was followed by a further 53-minute suspension as cars experienced issues, including Hamilton's software problem and other competitors noting an inability to accelerate. The FIA uploaded new software parameters to address the problem, which appeared to be caused by cars being off throttle too long in the wet.
Despite a difficult start, Verstappen recovered to take the lead from Antonelli and maintained control throughout the race. Antonelli also showed strong pace, passing Russell on lap 21. Hamilton's determined drive saw him climb through the field, making a late pass on Isack Hadjar, who finished fifth, to secure a podium spot.