Verstappen overcomes power failure at start to seal Red Bull's first win of 2026

Max Verstappen fought back from a troubled start to win the Bahrain Grand Prix, securing his first Formula 1 victory of the 2026 season and Red Bull’s first win powered by its own Red Bull Powertrains unit.

Starting from pole position, Verstappen was immediately swamped by Mercedes pair Kimi Antonelli and George Russell after suffering a temporary loss of power off the line. The race itself had already been delayed by one hour and 40 minutes due to heavy rainfall, adding to the disruption before a wheel had turned in anger.

“It was very hectic with a lot of different things at the start — no power because you have to wait for the power to kick in,” Verstappen said in the post-race interview with former driver David Coulthard. “We made the right call with the intermediates. After that, step by step, we moved our way forward. From there, once we could do our own race, then we had the safety car, but we kept it all under control.”

Despite the chaotic opening, Verstappen methodically worked his way back through the field and held on for the win, a result he described as particularly meaningful given the team’s journey with its new power unit.

“It’s a really nice one after the year we’ve had and the progression we have made,” the four-time world champion said. “I’m incredibly proud of everyone. To win our first race in our first year with our own power unit is pretty impressive.”

Former F1 driver Martin Brundle echoed that sentiment, calling the result a landmark moment for the Milton Keynes operation. “Christian Horner got a very good group of people together to start the Red Bull Powertrains project,” Brundle said. “That’s a hugely impressive victory for the team — power unit and chassis — from Milton Keynes.”

The win marks a significant milestone for Red Bull, which has spent years developing its own engine programme after splitting from Honda’s works supply. Delivering a race victory in the project’s first season represents a rapid validation of that long-term investment.