Verstappen passes Prost with win in 11th consecutive F1 season

Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at Sepang International Circuit on 4 October, finishing 2.307 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli. Lewis Hamilton was third, 4.919 seconds behind Verstappen. [1]

Crash.net reported that Verstappen had not previously won a race in 2026. He started from pole position and took the win after a lengthy delay to the start. [2]

Formula 1 officially called the event the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, rather than the Malaysian Grand Prix. Verstappen completed 55 laps to take the chequered flag. [1] [2]

Update

Russell was running third when he retired with five laps remaining. BBC Sport reported a power-unit failure. Mercedes team-mate Antonelli finished second behind Max Verstappen and now leads Russell by 84 points in the drivers’ standings. [3]

Lewis Hamilton took third after passing Isack Hadjar following a late safety car. BBC Sport says either six or seven races remain in the championship. [3]

Update

The Malaysian victory puts Verstappen third on the all-time list for consecutive Formula 1 seasons with at least one Grand Prix win. Alain Prost won races in 10 successive seasons. Verstappen’s run began with his first victory, in Spain in 2016, when he was 18. [4]