Winners and losers from shock Malaysia F1 qualifying
The Race • • sports
Key Points:
- Red Bull secured its first pole position of 2026 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, marking the first pole for a non-Mercedes powered car this season, with Max Verstappen leading comfortably.
- Mercedes had their worst qualifying result since Hungary, with drivers finishing 4th and 8th; the new upgrade appears to have caused issues with drag and understeer, especially on the abrasive Sepang tarmac.
- Aston Martin showed significant improvement, achieving their best performance of the season aided by a lighter car and an upgraded Honda engine, with Fernando Alonso describing it as a "miracle" to compete with faster cars.
- Lewis Hamilton impressed by qualifying second, crediting Ferrari’s perfect timing and subtle setup changes for his strong front-row position, highlighting the sensitivity of the cars to minor adjustments.
- Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto reached Q3 while his teammate was eliminated early, signaling progress for the team after recent struggles, whereas Haas and Williams faced setbacks with poor qualifying results and technical issues.
