Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won a chaotic rain-hit Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Sunday for his first victory of the season after the race start was delayed by more than 90 minutes due to treacherous conditions at the Sepang International Circuit.
Verstappen was the last driver to win in Sepang in 2017 before it was taken off the calendar and the Dutchman, who had also taken pole, gave Red Bull a first victory with their own power unit despite an early setback when he lost the lead before turn one.
“It’s a really nice one after the year that we’ve had and the progression that we’ve made. So I’m incredibly proud of everyone. It is super nice to win here,” said Verstappen.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was second for Mercedes and now has an 84-point lead over his closest rival and teammate George Russell, who was third when he retired with a suspected power unit issue with five laps remaining.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished third despite a tyre gamble that had dropped the Briton down to 18th at the start of the race.
“Obviously, we had the wrong call at the beginning, which was so difficult and I could see everyone just pulling away,” Hamilton said.
“I thought that was kind of race over for us, but I just kept my head down. The guys did a great job with the pit stops.”
Antonelli held on to second from Hamilton in the closing laps.
“Today was the maximum we could have done. On our side, a lot of work to do,” Antonelli said.
“We’ve been struggling a bit more than usual, but still really happy to come away with P2.”
The last four laps were a straight shootout for podium places after a lengthy safety car period and that was when Hamilton, who had been chasing Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar for several laps, made his move.
Charles Leclerc, who had also been closer to the back of the grid at the start of the race amid the chaos of a wet track, salvaged fourth for Ferrari when he overtook Hadjar with two laps to go.
Hadjar finished fifth ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Liam Lawson was seventh while Fernando Alonso was eighth for Aston Martin, their best result of the season.
–Reuters–
