Verstappen wins rain-delayed Bahrain GP to equal Schumacher record

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2026 season on Sunday, 4 October, winning a rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The four-time world champion recorded his 72nd career win, equaling Michael Schumacher’s record for the most victories achieved with a single constructor. Weather delays and engine milestones The race start was delayed by one hour and 40 minutes due to heavy rain, with an initial attempt behind the safety car aborted before a standing start was eventually cleared. Despite a slow getaway on intermediate tyres that saw him overtaken by Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, Verstappen reclaimed the lead following a lap nine safety car triggered by Valtteri Bottas. The victory is the first for Red Bull using their own proprietary power train. Mercedes podium and Russell DNF George Russell, who led in the early wet conditions, retired late in the race due to a power unit failure. The DNF leaves Russell 84 points behind his teammate Antonelli in the championship standings. Antonelli finished on the podium alongside Lewis Hamilton, who recovered from a poor start on dry tyres to secure third place. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth, followed by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in fifth. Implications for the championship The result ends a 15-race winless streak for Verstappen, who last won at this circuit nine years ago. The introduction of Red Bull's own power unit marks a technical…