Rain, lightning delay start of Bahrain GP in Malaysia

The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia faced a significant delay on Sunday as heavy rain and a lightning storm affected the Sepang International Circuit. The race, which was moved from Bahrain due to the conflict in the Middle East, was initially scheduled to start with four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing on pole position alongside seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton from Ferrari.

However, the adverse weather conditions forced a postponement, marking the first time the hybrid era Formula One cars would race in wet conditions on a track not raced on since 2017. This delay highlights the challenges faced by drivers and teams with limited wet weather testing experience and raises concerns about the suitability of the new intermediate tyres for the low-grip circuit.

Brief written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.