Accra:Max Verstappen clinched his first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

According to Anadolu Agency, Verstappen led all three qualifying segments, posting a fastest lap of 1 minute, 35.130 seconds in Q3. This effort placed him 0.298 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. The achievement marked the first pole of the season for both Red Bull and Verstappen.

Hamilton delivered an impressive final lap to secure second place, ensuring a front-row start alongside Verstappen. The seven-time world champion expressed surprise at the outcome, noting that his final lap was one of his most enjoyable and likely his best of the year.

Kimi Antonelli, the current championship leader, will start in third position. Mercedes teammate and title contender George Russell is set to begin the race in seventh. Antonelli maintains a 66-point lead over Russell, despite the latter closing the gap with a victory in Azerbaijan the previous weekend.

Mercedes experienced a drop in performance from their pace in the final practice, with Antonelli and Russell initially qualifying fourth and eighth. However, a five-place grid penalty for Isack Hadjar, who qualified third, promoted them to third and seventh, respectively. Consequently, Hadjar will start in eighth, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc advances to fourth on the grid.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to commence at 300 pm local time (0700GMT) on Sunday at the Sepang International Circuit.