Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia LIVE! Delayed race start as rain pours down, Max Verstappen targets first win this season

Max Verstappen secured pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, lining up alongside Lewis Hamilton and setting up a push for his first win of the season. Verstappen topped the grid by nearly three-tenths of a second in qualifying, after last taking pole at the Abu Dhabi season finale. Speaking after qualifying, he said he would try to win on Sunday, adding that race pace would be crucial after major tyre degradation. Kimi Antonelli was promoted to third following a five-second penalty for Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar related to new power unit elements. Charles Leclerc qualified fifth, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were sixth and seventh.