Start Grid and TV Schedule for the 2026 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix

See you in Sepang, Malaysia, this Sunday, October 4 at 9:00 AM for the sixteenth round of the 2026 F1 season.

Max Verstappen has broken through in a star-studded F1 season. Until now, Mercedes engines had monopolized the pole positions of the season. The Dutch driver ended this streak by placing his Red Bull at the front for the Bahrain Grand Prix, held in Malaysia. Now he needs to convert this performance on Sunday, with a formidable rival in his rearview mirror: Lewis Hamilton in second place will offer Ferrari an opportunity to contest the victory.

The threat will also come from the second row. Kimi Antonelli, who leads the championship, gains a position due to Isack Hadjar’s penalty. Fourth in qualifying, the Mercedes driver will start third, ahead of Charles Leclerc. This keeps both Ferraris in immediate contact with Verstappen.

For Hadjar, the equation becomes more complicated. His third fastest time could have allowed him to support his teammate at the front. His penalty sends him back to eighth place, behind George Russell. The Frenchman will need to overtake several cars to regain a position that reflects his performance on Saturday, despite the four-tenths he lost to Verstappen.

Between the two Red Bulls, the McLarens will present another obstacle: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will share the third row. Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto will complete the Top 10, ahead of Liam Lawson and Fernando Alonso, who will start twelfth with the Aston Martin.

At Haas, Esteban Ocon will settle into seventeenth position, behind Oliver Bearman. Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto will have to deal with starting from the back of the grid after engine component changes. The Argentine was already penalized five places for his incident with Gasly and Norris in Azerbaijan.

See you Sunday, October 4 at 9 AM French time for the start.