News Summary
- Kimi Antonelli moves to 320 points, extending his advantage over George Russell to 84.
- Lewis Hamilton remains third, while Charles Leclerc moves ahead of Lando Norris.
- Mercedes leads Ferrari by 151 points in the constructors’ championship.
Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead to 84 points after finishing second in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The Mercedes driver collected 18 points at Sepang, while team-mate and closest challenger George Russell retired late and scored nothing.
Antonelli now has 320 points to Russell’s 236 in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship. Their gap increased from 66 points following a race in which both Mercedes drivers led before Max Verstappen took control.
Verstappen’s first victory of 2026 brings him to 188 points, level with Lando Norris. The McLaren driver finished ninth and added only two points.
Lewis Hamilton strengthened third place with 214 points, collecting 15 for his podium finish. Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc moves to 191 after finishing fourth, taking him ahead of Norris and Verstappen on points.
Oscar Piastri remains seventh on 128, followed by Isack Hadjar on 96. Liam Lawson’s seventh place brings him to 65, while Arvid Lindblad adds one point to reach 38. Fernando Alonso’s eighth-place finish increases his total from three to seven.
F1 drivers’ championship after Sepang
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 320 | — |
| 2 | G RUSSELL | Mercedes | 236 | -84 |
| 3 | L HAMILTON | Ferrari | 214 | -106 |
| 4 | C LECLERC | Ferrari | 191 | -129 |
| 5 | L NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 188 | -132 |
| 6 | M VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull Ford | 188 | -132 |
| 7 | O PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 128 | -192 |
| 8 | I HADJAR | Red Bull Ford | 96 | -224 |
| 9 | L LAWSON | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 65 | -255 |
| 10 | P GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 41 | -279 |
| 11 | A LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 38 | -282 |
| 12 | F COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 27 | -293 |
| 13 | O BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 20 | -300 |
| 14 | G BORTOLETO | Audi | 10 | -310 |
| 15 | N HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 7 | -313 |
| 16 | E OCON | Haas Ferrari | 7 | -313 |
| 17 | C SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 7 | -313 |
| 18 | F ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 7 | -313 |
| 19 | A ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 5 | -315 |
| 20 | Y TSUNODA | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1 | -319 |
| 21 | L STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 0 | -320 |
| 22 | V BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 0 | -320 |
| 23 | S PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 0 | -320 |
Ferrari reduces Mercedes’ constructors’ advantage
Mercedes remains comfortably ahead in the constructors’ championship, reaching 556 points through Antonelli’s second place. Ferrari’s third-and-fourth finish adds 27 points, bringing its total to 405 and reducing the gap to 151.
McLaren reaches 316 after collecting 10 points between Piastri and Norris. Red Bull scores 35 points through Verstappen and Hadjar, moving to 298 and closing to within 18 of McLaren.
Racing Bulls adds seven points to reach 90. Alonso supplies Aston Martin’s four-point gain, while Alpine, Haas, Audi, Williams and Cadillac leave Sepang without adding to their totals.
F1 constructors’ championship after Sepang
| Pos. | Team | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 556 | — |
| 2 | Ferrari | 405 | -151 |
| 3 | McLaren | 316 | -240 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 298 | -258 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 90 | -466 |
| 6 | Alpine | 68 | -488 |
| 7 | Haas | 27 | -529 |
| 8 | Audi | 17 | -539 |
| 9 | Williams | 12 | -544 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 7 | -549 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 | -556 |
Formula 1 returns next weekend, from 9–11 October, for the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action.
F1 today: FAQ
Who won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang on Sunday, 4 October, taking his first victory of the 2026 F1 season. Kimi Antonelli finished second, with Lewis Hamilton completing the podium.
Why was the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia delayed?
Heavy rain initially delayed the start at Sepang. Several drivers then experienced power delivery problems during the formation procedure, forcing race control to suspend the start again. The race eventually began more than 90 minutes after its scheduled time.
How far ahead is Kimi Antonelli in the F1 championship?
Kimi Antonelli leads George Russell by 84 points after finishing second at Sepang while his Mercedes teammate retired. Antonelli has 320 points, Russell has 236 and Lewis Hamilton is third with 214.
