Liam Lawson finishes seventh at Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

Liam Lawson has returned to the Formula One points, claiming seventh place for Racing Bulls at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The race, held at the Sepang International Circuit, was delayed by more than 90 minutes due to heavy rain. Lawson benefited from a team decision to start on intermediate tyres, allowing him to surge from 11th on the grid to as high as fourth on the opening lap.

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2026 season for Red Bull Racing. The win marks the first victory for Red Bull Ford Powertrains. Verstappen, who started from pole, reclaimed the lead after losing it during a frenetic start in the wet.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli finished second, extending his world championship lead to 84 points over teammate George Russell. Russell retired with a power unit failure while running third with five laps remaining. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third for Ferrari.

Lawson's seventh-place finish earned him six championship points, bringing his season total to 65. This marks his 11th points finish of the season. His teammate Arvid Lindblad finished 10th, securing the final point.

How it developed

• Mon 5 Oct, 6:37amThe race victory was the first for the Red Bull Ford Powertrains engine partnership.

Where reports differ

• The race duration is reported as 55 laps or 56 laps.
• Lawson's championship position is described as 24 points clear of Pierre Gasly or ninth place overall.

Compiled from reports by NZ Herald, Stuff, RNZ, 1News and The Post.