{
  "id": 11651978,
  "title": "[UPDATED] Verstappen claims first pole of season at Bahrain GP",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/updated-verstappen-claims-first-pole-of-season-at-bahrain-gp",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T09:43:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/motor-sports/2026/10/1546881/updated-verstappen-claims-first-pole-season-bahrain-gp"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the Formula One season at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton joined him on the front row, while teammate Isaac Hadjar finished third but will start eighth due to a grid penalty. Championship leader Kimi Antolinli and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari rounded out the top five on the grid. Verstappen, who last won a Grand Prix in Malaysia in 2017, clocked a time of 1 minute 35.130 seconds in qualifying. \"It's fantastic, we've been trying for many Grands Prix to get more, sometimes a bit closer to the others. But to finally get it from where we started the season, pretty incredible,\" Verstappen remarked. Hamilton, who has also secured a victory in Sepang, battled with tyre degradation in practice sessions but managed to claim second place from Hadjar in the final stages of the qualifying session. \"It's so hot here, I keep saying it. But that's made it a massive challenge for the tyres, for the car, for the mechanics in the garage. We made so many changes through all these practice sessions because the cars are sliding, these tyres are overheating. It was really, really hard to find a good balance. We made one last change going into qualifying and I think we hit the sweet spot,\" Hamilton explained. Hadjar had exceeded his seasonal engine allowance, leading to a five-place grid penalty. \"It's a bit unfortunate we take the penalty on a track that fast,\" Hadjar stated. \"But you know, from P8, I'm confident we can go through the field and come back for a good result.\"",
  "summary": "SEPANG: Red Bull's Max Verstappen claimed his first pole position of the season at the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton joining him on the front row.",
  "key_points": [
    "Max Verstappen claims first pole of season at Bahrain GP",
    "Lewis Hamilton on front row with Ferrari teammate Isaac Hadjar",
    "Hadjar starts eighth due to engine allowance penalty"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "Verstappen takes first non-Mercedes powered pole of 2026",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/verstappen-takes-first-non-mercedes-powered-pole-of-2026",
        "published": "2026-10-03T09:34:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Verstappen takes first non-Mercedes powered pole of 2026",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/verstappen-takes-first-non-mercedes-powered-pole-of-2026-11656181",
        "published": "2026-10-03T09:34:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}