Verstappen made a long-awaited return to the top of the timesheets in Qualifying, beating Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar to take his first pole position of 2026 for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Formula1.com reports.
Analysis:The Red Bull Racing star would lead all three portions of qualifying Saturday at the Sepang International Circuit. Both Verstappen and Isack Hadjar would advance into Q3 and battle for pole position. For a bit it would look like a front row lock out for Red Bull, but Hamilton's late flyer would displace Hadjar and demote him to P3. For Verstappen it would be his first pole of the season and 49th-career pole position. He'll be seeking his first win of the season in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix of Malaysia.
