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Verstappen Wins Bahrain GP After 90-Minute Rain Delay

By Drooid · Oct 6, 2026, 12:33 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Verstappen Wins Bahrain

Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing 2.307 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
Heavy rain delayed the start over 90 minutes, forcing drivers to choose intermediate or slick tyres.
George Russell retired with a suspected power-unit failure, extending Antonelli’s championship lead to 84 points.
A safety-car period after Valtteri Bottas’s spin compressed the field and set up a four-lap sprint to the finish.

Summary

FIA Reviews Software

The FIA launched a formal review of power-unit software after the Sepang incident.
Bradley Lord confirmed the FIA sent emergency software updates to every team.
Anthony Davidson said low-speed laps caused turbo spooling loss without the motor-generator-unit-heat (MGU-H), triggering power loss.
Drivers called themselves ‘hostages to software’, mocking hybrid power-unit glitches during the aborted start.
Stefano Domenicali referenced a talk with George Lucas about simplifying engine technology for new fans.

Summary

Rain Delays Bahrain

Rain forced a 40-minute postponement, moving the formation lap to 15:40 local time.
FIA said the three-hour race clock starts after the green flag, preventing the delay from reducing race time.
Grid penalties shifted Isack Hadjar, Colapinto and Lindblad’s starting positions despite the rain-induced shuffle.
Drivers reported the first sector wet while the second sector remained comparatively drier.

History

Historical Context

The FIA’s 2014 shift to 1.6-litre V6-turbo hybrid power units, capped at 100 kg/h fuel flow, sparked reliability woes that drove a 2021 cost-cap and ongoing software controls. After the rain-delayed 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix exposed fresh power-unit glitches, the governing body now mandates real-time software patches, a move rooted in the era-long battle between Mercedes, Red Bull and Honda.

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Verstappen Wins Bahrain

Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing 2.307 seconds ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
Heavy rain delayed the start over 90 minutes, forcing drivers to choose intermediate or slick tyres.
George Russell retired with a suspected power-unit failure, extending Antonelli’s championship lead to 84 points.
A safety-car period after Valtteri Bottas’s spin compressed the field and set up a four-lap sprint to the finish.

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