Dominant Verstappen & superb Hamilton recovery - driver ratings

Max Verstappen achieved his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia. Despite a poor start, he managed to regain control and dominate the race, finishing ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton, who made a remarkable comeback from 18th place to secure third.

Hamilton's performance was highlighted by his ability to recover after a challenging start on slick tyres. Antonelli's second-place finish allowed him to extend his championship lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell, who faced disappointment with a retirement while running in third position due to a power unit issue.