F1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2026: Predictions and betting preview

By Klimentijs Konevs | Published: 1 October, 2026, 11:30

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is over, and George Russell earned his third win of the season. Franco Colapinto successfully torpedoed teammate Pierre Gasly, taking Alpine out of a great position to score some strong points.

Now, F1 moves on to Sepang for not the Malaysian, but the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Here are our preview and predictions for the upcoming race.

Sepang is a classic old venue, which last hosted Formula 1 in 2017. The circuit is one of the fan favourites, mixing long straights, heavy braking zones and some very tricky technical corners in the middle portion of the lap.

Throw in extremely hot temperatures of 30°C+, high humidity and a high chance of a thunderstorm at any point during the race, and we have all the hallmarks of a Grand Prix where anything can happen. The tyres take a lot of punishment around this circuit, but it is a great track with plenty of overtaking opportunities.

Red Bull

Qualifying in Baku was a bit of a letdown, especially for Max Verstappen, but Isack Hadjar did a great job on his return. Red Bull absolutely came alive in the race, as both drivers quickly made their way through the field, overtaking the McLarens and Ferraris.

This makes us feel that Red Bull really have one of the most powerful internal combustion engines on the grid, considering how lightning-fast Verstappen looked on the straights. With Sepang featuring some very long flat-out sections, We can see the Bahrain Grand Prix being another very strong race for Red Bull, with a possible podium finish.

McLaren

The Baku race was a complete disaster for McLaren. Lando Norris arguably had his worst performance of the season, making multiple mistakes in qualifying and during the race itself. He struggled for pace, even allowing himself to be overtaken by an Alpine, before eventually being taken out in a crash.

Oscar Piastri looked better for quite a while and managed to hold his own against the Red Bulls, but in the end, it did not really matter. He also made a mistake and walked away with zero points. Bahrain could be another difficult weekend for McLaren, especially on the long straights.

Ferrari

Ferrari should be the third-fastest car this weekend, behind Red Bull and Mercedes. Charles Leclerc did an incredible job in Baku before eventually losing out fairly quickly to the Red Bulls. However, Leclerc made the most of the situation and performed very well overall.

Lewis Hamilton struggled for pace pretty much all weekend, but Baku has never been his strongest circuit. Heading to Sepang, there are plenty of long straights, which could be a struggle for Ferrari. They are now fairly consistent as the third or fourth-fastest team on the grid, and that could be their place again this weekend.

Mercedes

George Russell dominated the weekend in Baku, which makes it insane to think that he has only won three races this season. In the race, Russell controlled the early stages, but came under massive pressure from Verstappen in the second half.

Kimi Antonelli was not quite on the same level this time, but he will be looking to bounce back to the front of the field in Sepang. Mercedes should be the strongest team this weekend, especially as they are also bringing a large upgrade package to the Sepang circuit.

Qualifying and Pole Position

Our pick for pole position is Antonelli. After a tricky weekend in Baku, we expect the championship leader to bounce back strongly in Sepang. Mercedes should have a very competitive car around this circuit, and Antonelli has already shown how quick he can be over one lap this season.

Podium Prediction

1st place: Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli should take full advantage of what we expect to be the fastest car in Sepang.

2nd place: Max Verstappen

Verstappen looked fast in Baku, and Red Bull should once again be a major threat, especially on the long straights.

3rd place: George Russell

After winning in Baku, Russell should remain near the front, but we expect Antonelli and Verstappen to have the edge this weekend.

Dark Horses

Our dark horse for the weekend is Nico Hulkenberg in the Audi. He has really picked up the pace recently and should be the top midfield driver in Sepang, with a points finish looking very possible.

The biggest question is whether his car can make it to the chequered flag without breaking down. If Audi can give him a reliable car, Hulkenberg has the pace to bring home some strong points.

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