Max Verstappen delivered Red Bull Ford Powertrains their first Formula 1 victory as a power unit manufacturer by winning the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, ending the team’s winless run in the 2026 season and marking a landmark moment for the Anglo-American partnership.
Verstappen crossed the line ahead of Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton after dominating qualifying to claim Red Bull’s first pole position of the season. The win came one week after he narrowly missed victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, finishing just 0.196 seconds off the top step.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies called the result a defining moment for the organisation. “This is another milestone moment in the history of this team: the first victory for us as a power unit manufacturer with Red Bull Ford Powertrains in its very first season,” Mekies said. “The credit goes to all the people involved who have been working incredibly hard on this project over the past five years.”
The victory was the product of a sustained development push that began with a major upgrade package unveiled in Baku roughly 10 days before the Malaysian race. Red Bull described that package — comprising a new floor body and diffuser, new sidepods, new cooling louvres, new mirrors and a new halo fairing — as their final significant upgrade of the year. Despite the hardware improvements, Verstappen qualified only eighth in Azerbaijan due to engine troubles and yellow flags, but the underlying pace gains carried forward to Malaysia.
Mekies credited Verstappen’s composure under pressure. “In often chaotic circumstances, he remained in control throughout the race, managed the conditions brilliantly, showed the strongest pace and delivered exactly the kind of performance we know he is capable of.”
The result was tempered by misfortune for teammate Isack Hadjar, who had fought back from eighth on the grid to challenge for a podium before a battery issue restricted him to fifth. “We could have rounded off this weekend with another double podium; unfortunately, not everything went well with his car,” Mekies said. “Finishing fifth still represents a strong result considering where he started, but naturally it is frustrating when you know more was possible.”
Mekies said the team would analyse Hadjar’s technical failure before shifting focus to the next round in Singapore, while urging the wider organisation to recognise the significance of the achievement. “However, everyone should enjoy a well-deserved victory and an important milestone for this team.”