Max Verstappen secured provisional pole position for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang on Oct. 3, 2026, putting the Red Bull driver ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Andrea Kimi Antonelli on the grid. The qualifying report was published at 10:03 by Keith Collantine of RaceFans, which listed no investigations as announced so far.

Isack Hadjar is due to receive a five-place grid drop for exceeding the maximum number of power unit components. Franco Colapinto faces a five-place penalty for colliding with Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris, plus a separate 10-place drop for exceeding the component limit. Arvid Lindblad was listed for a 30-place grid drop, also for exceeding the maximum number of power unit components.

Verstappen’s provisional pole was described as his first of the 2026 season, with Hamilton second and Antonelli third. RaceFans’ related coverage included Antonelli leading the Red Bulls in final practice, Ferrari being fined €10,000 after Hamilton impeded Gabriel Bortoleto in practice, and Verstappen explaining why he did not use soft tyres in second practice.

The page was part of RaceFans’ 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix coverage and F1 grids listings. It also linked to grid pages for the 2026 Azerbaijan, Spanish, Italian and Dutch Grands Prix, and offered readers the option to become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free. Collantine, a lifelong motor sport fan, founded the site in 2005 under its original name, F1 Fanatic. He had previously worked as a motoring journalist and began running RaceFans full-time in 2010.

Based on reporting by RaceFans.