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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Max Verstappen wins the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia! His first win of the season It's P2 for Kimi Antonelli, and a pretty remarkable P3 for Lewis Hamilton A first Red Bull Ford Powertrains victory in F1! #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Final lap and the top three look set. Can Piastri find a way past Hadjar too? And Alonso is trying to hold off Norris for P8! #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Two laps to go, Verstappen has dropped Antonelli out of overtake range, but only just. Hamilton within two seconds but not catching Leclerc through on Hadjar for P4, not been a great restart for the second Red Bull #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton is through on Hadjar! That's P3, can he get after Antonelli and Verstappen? #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Restart order: Verstappen Antonelli Hadjar Hamilton Leclerc Piastri Lawson Alonso Hulkenberg Lindblad #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Now we're going to restart at the end of Lap 51 of 55 #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Russell has stopped! And Norris is off at Turn 1! And no, we haven't restarted yet #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

So we're going to lose a couple of laps letting lapped cars overtake because the field is still spread out - Perez about half a lap behind the Safety Car when the call was made #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Full Safety Car - they need a recovery vehicle to come out from behind the barrier to recover Albon's car That explains Mercedes pitting just in case, and Verstappen sees a healthy advantage wiped out. This race isn't over yet... #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Now the Mercedes drivers both stop during a longer than expected VSC. Hadjar also in, so Verstappen is back in the lead and Hadjar has PIastri between him and Hamilton #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Brave from Red Bull, giving up track position as Verstappen stops under the VSC and Antonelli takes the lead. Hamilton also in for a set of used softs and he drops behind Piastri #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Alonso's through on Lindblad and up to P10! The Aston far more competitive around here compared to last weekend Hamilton still stuck behind Hadjar, and they're losing time to the Mercedes ahead now #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Alonso passes Ocon for P11, and Lindblad is just ahead in the final point-paying position #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton complains the medium tyre feels terrible, but he's still quick on it and all over Hadjar now for P4 #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Verstappen and Antonelli also stop, with Verstappen leading by 11s and Russell 3.2s back from his team-mate Russell gets confirmation he's going to the end on those softs #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton just 3.5s behind Hadjar as both come into the pits in the battle for P4 Softs for Hadjar, two-lap-old mediums for Hamilton (only had used softs left) #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Lawson still P6 ahead of Piastri, Leclerc and Ocon, with Norris about to overtake the Haas Hamilton's closing down Hadjar at a second per lap for P4 now #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Antonelli goes deep at the final corner, nearly into the pit entry, and hits the bollard as he rejoins. He's lost a chunk of time to Verstappen, but stays ahead of Russell #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Russell warned about a rain cell 10km away... #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton now P5 as he overtakes Lawson. He's 11.7s behind Hadjar but matching pace, which is impressive given his start to the race #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Antonelli was told to look after his tyres, but puts the pressure on Russell and then is through into Turn 4 - back up to P2 #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton is up to P8 as he clears Piastri. Lindblad (who started P22) is next up, and dispatched at the final corner, with Hamilton putting together a really good recovery on those original softs #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Verstappen is three seconds clear of Russell and Antonelli (1.2s back) says on radio: "I have more pace" #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Order on Lap 14: Verstappen Russell Antonelli Hadjar Lawson Ocon Lindblad Botoleto Piastri Hulkenberg Hamilton #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Verstappen takes the lead through T1-2-3 from Antonelli, and then Russell is through for P2 later in the lap! #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Safety Car in this lap, despite the field not yet having bunched up behind it #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Even those on slicks already are stopping, due to degradation. The field will bunch up behind the Safety Car while Bottas is recovered at Turn 14 #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Now Norris on slicks is matching the intermediate tyre runners... But Bottas is off! Safety Car! That's a free stop for all of those on inters but will reset this race #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Verstappen attacks Antonelli for the lead but can't get through, only looks a matter of time though Hadjar six seconds behind Russell and gaining at 0.6s per lap #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Russell calls it weird that the track isn't drying rapidly - humidity maybe? It's up at 84% Leclerc damaged his front wing on the opening lap, stopped for a new one and inters, and is now nearly 10s ahead of Hamilton #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Verstappen clears Russell for P2 and sets off after Antonelli, as Hadjar also takes P4 from Lawson Ocon is P6 ahead of Sainz, Lindblad, Albon and Piastri #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton is called into the pits, says the slicks are starting to work better and the track is drying so they have to gamble and stay out Ferrari listens to him and he continues, but the lap time difference is enormous - around 20s on the last full lap #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Norris passes Hamilton but is 31s off the lead already. Leclerc bails out for inters - you have to. The slick is totally the wrong tyre even if it's just for a few laps #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton and Leclerc down to P10 and P11. Inter is the tyre right now, but for how long? #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Antonelli and Russell straight into the lead and Lawson is up to fourth behind Verstappen! #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Perez has already bailed on the slicks to fit inters, and Piastri does the same. So too Bortoleto, Stroll and Hulkenberg #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The race has officially started behind Safety Car, but it's a standing start! With different tyres. This will be carnage #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Gasly's gone off on slicks already, we are still lapping behind the Safety Car Verstappen says there's still a lot of spray so it's OK to still be on inters, Hamilton says it's very wet and slippery but is told he just needs to survive #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Proper split. Only cars on inters are: Verstappen Antonelli Russell Hadjar Lawson Sainz Ocon Albon Lindblad #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

We have some on slicks for a restart, but some on inters! Verstappen still on the inter, and Antonelli, but the Ferraris on the slicks, as are the McLarens #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

We have a restart time: 16:33 local time (so in 10 minutes) #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Confirmed that the start order is the original grid #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

For anyone wondering, sunset today here is at 19:04, so in three hours from now #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The FIA expects the original grid order to be used to restart the race, but as of yet there's no restart time It seems race control is trying to prepare a restart that will not see cars shutting down on formation laps #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

With a delay like this and the rain having stopped, the track is going to dry very quickly #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Technically Verstappen was lapping some of the other cars behind the Safety Car. Ocon and Bottas also stopped out there but got moving again Hamilton now the only car on track as he'd passed the pit entry before the starting procedure was suspended #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Hamilton's moving again! Some cars passed him, some didn't so the field is so spread out around the lap, and the starting procedure has been suspended with cars stopped everywhere #F1 #BahrainGP

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Chris Medland @chrismedlandf1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Problem for Verstappen! He's slow in the middle sector and everyone backs up behind him - he's not meant to drop back from the Safety Car but he says he can't accelerate, and now Hamilton is slow! This is chaos #F1 #BahrainGP

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