Verstappen takes Bahrain GP pole as Colapinto, Hadjar and Lindblad hit with grid penalties

Max Verstappen secured pole position for the 2026 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, held at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, but the provisional starting grid faces significant reshuffling after the FIA handed penalties to three drivers ahead of the race.

Franco Colapinto of Alpine is the most prominent name affected, receiving a combined 15-place grid drop. Five places stem from the collision he caused in Baku, while a further ten are applied for using a new V6 internal combustion engine outside his permitted allocation for the season.

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad faces the steepest punishment, a 30-place penalty for exceeding his allocation across several power unit elements. Given the scale of the drop, Lindblad is effectively consigned to the back of the grid regardless of where he qualified.

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar also incurs a five-place penalty for introducing a new power unit element beyond his allocation, a sanction that could prove costly depending on where the Frenchman had originally qualified.

Verstappen, meanwhile, starts from the front after topping qualifying at Sepang, continuing his strong form at the wheel of the Red Bull. The grid remains provisional pending final validation by the FIA.