Max, Lewis + Fernando shine in Sepang - Bahrain GP in Malaysia Review

Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques join Tom Clarkson from the F1TV commentary box to debrief an epic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of 2026 and the first win for Red Bull’s own power unit. How did Max recover from a slow start? Why were Red Bull so competitive in Sepang? And just how far have they come this year?

Meanwhile, there were mixed emotions at Mercedes, with Kimi Antonelli coming home in P2 but George Russell retiring due to an engine issue. Now 84 points behind championship leader Kimi, are George’s title hopes well and truly over? How should he approach the rest of the season?

Having gambled on soft tyres while his rivals stuck to inters at the start, Lewis Hamilton dropped from second to eighteenth in the opening stages, before fighting back through the field to third for his first podium since Silverstone. Why did Ferrari start both drivers on the softs? How did Hamilton complete such an impressive comeback? And how much did Team Principal Fred Vasseur need a result like that?

The guys also discuss a champion’s drive from Fernando Alonso to score his best result of the season for Aston Martin with P8, why McLaren weren’t in the mix in Malaysia and their Driver of the Day.

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