Summary

  • Verstappen wins ahead of Antonelli and Hamilton following several overtakes for cars off start as result of divergent tyre choices

  • Russell retires late in race from third, impacting title race

  • Race start delayed by more than hour and a half after heavy rain and confusion over grid order

  • Cars out of position during attempts to form behind safety car because of reported software issues

  • Original grid line-up used for restart

  • Two safety cars following Bottas and Albon retirements

  • Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia held at Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur

  • Race rescheduled from April because of Middle East unrest

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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    The field is all jumbled up now, they are going to have to re-constitute the start order basically, in what it should be, in the pits and then have another go basically.

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    All the biggest problems (Ferrari, Haas, Cadillac) came on Ferrari-powered cars. Their engineers will be properly nervous.

    Alex, Exeter

  3. red flag

    Everyone comes back to the pit lane to regroup under the red flag. There is some confusion as to whether cars at the back completed the two laps behind the safety car - Max Verstappen might have lapped some of them. Esteban Ocon in the Haas and Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas also stopped on track, but like Lewis Hamilton, they were able to get going again.

  4. Team radio - Hamilton to Ferrari

    Hamilton: "I pressed the throttle and nothing's happening."

    Engineer: "It's a software issue we're trying to solve."

  5. Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    The FIA Safety Car leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (3) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Red Bull Ford Powertrains at the start of the formation lap during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in Malaysia at Sepang CircuitGetty Images

    It has got to be some kind of software mapping issues, this will be really interesting to get our teeth into. Look at the cars, half the grid, Verstappen and the safety car are coming up to lap the cars stranded on the side of the track.

  6. red flag

    Starting procedure suspended

    What has happened to Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari? The seven-time world champion tells his Ferrari pit wall he has problems with the throttle. He then comes to the stop and the Italian team say it's a software issue.

    Drivers behind Hamilton slowed down as not to overtake, so now we have cars all over the track.

    This is a bit of a mess.

  7. Team radio - Verstappen to Red Bull

    "I can't accelerate."

  8. Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    ewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia Ferrari SF-26 after slowing on the formation lap during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in Malaysia at Sepang CircuitGetty Images

    Now Lewis Hamilton is going extremely slowly, I am not sure what is going on here, very strange scenes.

  9. Formation lap

    Off we go then behind the safety car. The rain has stopped but Isack Hadjar aquaplanes in the Red Bull and goes off the track and into the gravel. The Frenchman now needs to get back into his eighth spot.

    Liam Lawson, meanwhile, hasn't even moved off the grid in his Racing Bulls.

    The cars are creeping around the Sepang circuit - and it looks like Lewis Hamilton has an issue.

  10. Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    Now the drivers certainly will be in the zone, when they got that call - formation lap in 10 minutes. Laser-beam focus, what do I need to do? Speak with your engineers, get the plan of action. What do we expect? We expect a couple of laps behind the safety car, then it will be lights out. Their instructions on the formation lap will be explore the grip levels, keep us up to date on the grip of the tyres.

  11. Formation lap behind safety car

    The medical car drives on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in Malaysia at Sepang Circuit on October 4, 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaGetty Images

    The drivers are getting strapped in to their cars now following the announcement the formation lap will start at 08:40 BST. The intermediate compound has been bolted on for lights out, after teams were given a free choice of tyre.

    According to race control, the thinking is to do a minimum of two laps behind safety car before a standing start. But this is subject to change based on feedback from drivers.

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    Wet racing is different from racing on a drying track. Lewis is probably best of all in changeable conditions. But Ferrari are not good at strategy, let's hope they listen to Lewis.

    Philip, Berkshire

  13. Formation lap at 08:40 BST

    This is not a drill, folks. The pit lane is bustling as race control announce the formation lap will start at 08:40 BST.

  14. Rain still falling

    Isack HadjarGetty Images

    The best action so far is the medical car taking in the laps on the damp track. The fans sitting on the grass watching on looked soaked through - the worst feeling ever. Franco Colapinto also looks a bit wet as he makes his way down the pit lane on a scooter.

    Colapinto is one of three drivers with a grid penalty in Malaysia. The Alpine driver is starting 21st with his cumulative 15-place penalty: five for the collision in Baku and 10 for fresh engine components.

    Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad is dropping right to the back of the grid with a 30-place penalty for taking multiple new power-unit parts.

    And Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, who qualified third yesterday, is moving five places to eighth for taking his seventh internal combustion engine of the season.

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    How good it is to be back in Malaysia! When it rains it attacks! 🌧️🌩️ Fingers crossed we can have this come back in the future such a brilliant track. Not surprised it’s delayed start. Thank you Bahrain for making this happen!

    Keegan, Swindon

  16. Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    There has been some reports that Stefano Domenicali, the F1 chairman, has confirmed that the two races at the end if the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will definitely take place - he hasn't done that.

    He has confirmed that, that is the plan but there is not an absolute definitive decision yet. The guidance is that Formula 1 can go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the war in the Middle East but that is the guidance right now, they don't have to make the decision just yet, there is still some time.

    The back-up plan is Imola in Italy on the Abu Dhabi weekend, which is the first weekend of December.

  17. 'I don't think anyone can predict anything' - Norris

    Lando Norris talking to Sky Sports: "Honestly, I've not seen the weather. It's just random at the minute. I don't think anyone can predict anything."

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    I'm interested to see how the engines cope in these conditions, I'd assume they have a different map for the electrical deployment in wet conditions.

    Simon, UK

  19. Rain in Malaysia

    An umbrella covers Lando Norris while he is sat in his McLarenGetty Images
    rain in the paddockGetty Images
    fans in the rainGetty Images
    A tent has been put up over an Aston Martin carGetty Images

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    Can the rain slow down please? I want to watch Lewis Vs Max!

    Jacob, Cardiff