Max Verstappen sets new F1 record under bizarre circumstances

Max Verstappen broke the all-time Formula 1 record for the longest gap between victories at the same circuit after winning at Sepang. Starting from pole position, Verstappen took his 72nd career victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, which was relocated from Sakhir due to the Iran War. The triumph also marked the first win for the in-house Red Bull-Ford Powertrains unit.

Verstappen's gap between wins at Sepang reached 3,291 days, surpassing his 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix victory. This broke the previous record of 2,325 days held by Nigel Mansell at Kyalami between 1985 and 1992. The event officially counted as Verstappen's third Bahrain Grand Prix win, following previous victories in 2023 and 2024.