Max Verstappen Wins the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang
Max Verstappen a remporté la course, décrochant sa première victoire de la saison devant Antonelli et Hamilton. The Red Bull driver controlled the race from the front after a chaotic final ten laps that reshuffled the podium order and eliminated several front-runners.
The race at the Sepang International Circuit featured a late safety car period and a virtual safety car that shook up pit stop strategies across the grid. Verstappen managed the final restart cleanly with four laps remaining, crossing the line to claim the 72nd victory of his Formula 1 career. Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished second, while Lewis Hamilton took third place following a late-race charge.
Late Safety Car Disrupts the Sepang Grid
The race turned upside down with ten laps remaining when a safety car deployment bunched the field together. Prior to the intervention, Verstappen held a comfortable ten-second lead over Antonelli, having made his second pit stop on lap 34 for fresh soft tires. Alexander Albon’s excursion off track triggered a virtual safety car on lap 45, prompting Verstappen to pit and briefly hand the lead to Antonelli before regaining control.
As the race entered its closing stages, a stoppage for Mercedes driver George Russell near the pit lane entry forced another neutralization on lap 50. Russell’s unexpected retirement ended a strong run for the British driver, who had been running third behind his teammate. The incident also created confusion further back, where reigning world champion Lando Norris nearly collided with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri while distracted by Russell’s stranded car.
Lewis Hamilton Secures Unexpected Podium in Final Laps
Lewis Hamilton drove through a turbulent afternoon to claim third place, passing Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar in the closing stages. Hamilton spent the middle portion of the race chasing Hadjar before making his final stop on lap 32. After the race restarted with four laps to go, Hamilton hunted down the French driver and overtook him on lap 53, drawing a loud cheer from the grandstands as Hadjar dropped out of the podium positions.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc capitalized on the late chaos as well. Leclerc followed his teammate through the field in the final tour, passing Hadjar on lap 54 to secure fourth place. Hadjar, who had been elevated into the top three following Russell’s retirement, lost multiple positions in the frantic run to the checkered flag and finished behind the leading group.
Alpine Struggles and Midfield Battles in Malaysia
Further down the order, Alpine endured a difficult afternoon in Sepang. Following a compromised start on soft tires, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto languished near the back of the field, finishing 16th and 18th respectively. Esteban Ocon finished just outside the points in 11th place after an early pit stop on lap 33, slotting in behind the Racing Bulls cars of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad.
The victory marks Verstappen’s first win at Sepang since his previous triumph at the Malaysian venue nine years prior. The result bolsters his championship campaign as the Formula 1 season progresses past its early rounds.
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