Accra:Max Verstappen secured his and Red Bull's first victory of the year with a commanding performance in the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia, which was marked by significant delays and technical issues.
According to Ghana Web, the race commenced under dramatic circumstances after a one-and-a-half-hour delay caused by heavy rain and subsequent technical problems. These difficulties left several cars moving at a crawl during formation laps behind the safety car on a wet track. The FIA took time to determine the starting order before the race began with cars in their original positions.
Verstappen, starting from the front row, initially lost ground to the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who advanced to first and second positions. Russell later retired from third place due to a power unit failure with just five laps remaining, leaving Antonelli to finish second. Antonelli now leads Russell by 84 points in the championship standings.
Lewis Hamilton made an impressive comeback after an incorrect tyre choice left him near the back early in the race. Initially opting for soft-compound slicks on the wet track, Hamilton fell behind but managed to fight back, eventually overtaking Red Bull's Isack Hadjar for third place near the end.
A late safety car deployment due to Alex Albon's stalled Williams led to a sprint finish with fresh tyres, but Verstappen remained unchallenged to secure the win. Lando Norris experienced a setback while avoiding Russell's stopped car but recovered to finish ninth, just behind Fernando Alonso, who achieved points for Aston Martin.
The race began amid unprecedented challenges, including a software issue affecting several cars, including Verstappen's and Hamilton's. The FIA later issued a software update to resolve the problem, allowing teams to continue. Despite the initial confusion and debate over starting positions, the race proceeded with its original order, contributing to the event's chaotic nature.