Story perspectives

Red Bull Ford Powertrains wins Bahrain GP with own engine

By Drooid · Oct 7, 2026, 11:00 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Red Bull Wins

Red Bull Racing won the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, its first victory with its own engine.
Max Verstappen earned his 72nd career win, finishing ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
The win gave Red Bull Ford Powertrains its first Formula 1 victory since Ford’s 2003 success.
Martin Brundle praised Christian Horner for launching the Red Bull Powertrains project in 2021.
Technical director Ben Hodgkinson said the victory validates years of relentless team effort.

Summary

Verstappen Finds Nail

Rain and a software glitch forced a 90-minute postponement of the Bahrain Grand Prix start.
Max Verstappen found a nail in his front-left intermediate tyre during the red-flag stoppage.
The red-flag rule allowing tyre changes under suspension drew criticism for reducing strategic diversity.
George Russell retired with five laps remaining after a suspected power-unit failure, ending his title challenge.

History

Historical Context

On 4 April 2004 the Bahrain Grand Prix became the first Formula 1 race in the Middle East, marking the sport’s regional debut and earning the FIA’s Best-Organised award. The 2026 Red Bull victory with Max Verstappen demonstrates how Bahrain remains a proving ground for power-unit advances, echoing the pioneering partnerships first seen in 2004.

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Red Bull Wins

Red Bull Racing won the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, its first victory with its own engine.
Max Verstappen earned his 72nd career win, finishing ahead of Kimi Antonelli.
The win gave Red Bull Ford Powertrains its first Formula 1 victory since Ford’s 2003 success.
Martin Brundle praised Christian Horner for launching the Red Bull Powertrains project in 2021.
Technical director Ben Hodgkinson said the victory validates years of relentless team effort.

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