Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 40 minutes

Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 40 minutes. A separate red-flag stoppage followed throttle problems during the formation-lap procedure, and the circuit dried during the race.

GPBeat · Newsroom04 Oct 2026, 08:54 · 1 min

Sunday update: Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 40 minutes. The race was due to start at 15:00 local time, with the formation lap planned for 15:40.

RacingNews365 reported that rain began at Sepang at 07:20 BST, first wetting the opening corners while the back of the circuit remained dry. About 15 minutes later, the downpour soaked the whole track as engineers and mechanics prepared the cars on the grid.

A separate interruption followed during the first formation-lap attempt: several cars, including those of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, suffered throttle problems. Race Control suspended the procedure under a red flag and sent the drivers back to the pit lane. [Sources 2, 3] The second attempt was scheduled for 16:33.

During the race, the circuit dried and slick tyres became the faster option; further rain did not arrive before the chequered flag. [Sources 2, 3]

Claims and supporting evidence 7

Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 40 minutes.

[2]

The race was due to start at 15:00 local time, with the formation lap planned for 15:40.

[3]

RacingNews365 reported that rain began at Sepang at 07:20 BST, first wetting the opening corners while the back of the circuit remained dry.

[1]

About 15 minutes later, RacingNews365 reported, rain soaked the entire track as engineers and mechanics prepared the cars on the grid.

[1]

During the first formation-lap attempt, several cars, including those of Verstappen and Hamilton, suffered throttle problems, prompting Race Control to suspend the procedure.

[2][3]

Race Control stopped the procedure under a red flag, sent drivers back to the pit lane and scheduled a second attempt for 16:33.

[3]

The circuit dried during the race, slick tyres became the faster option, and further rain did not arrive before the chequered flag.

[2][3]

Corrections and updates to this story

04 Oct 2026, 10:28

RacingNews365 reports rain spreading across Sepang

This update adds RacingNews365’s more specific account of when rain began and how it spread at Sepang. The English and Dutch editions are from the same publisher; the rainfall details remain attributed to RacingNews365.

04 Oct 2026, 20:32

Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 40 minutes

Update: This article now adds the 40-minute weather delay, the separate red-flag suspension after throttle problems and the track's drying during the race. / Update: De tekst is aangevuld met de weersvertraging van 40 minuten, de afzonderlijke onderbreking met rode vlag na problemen met de gasrespons en het opdrogen van de baan tijdens de race.

06 Oct 2026, 01:56

Heavy rain delayed the scheduled start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia by 40 minutes

Manual editorial correction: clarified wording and attribution and removed repeated or source-process prose where present. The underlying reporting and sources are unchanged. / Handmatige redactionele correctie: formuleringen en bronvermelding verduidelijkt; herhaling en controletaal verwijderd waar aanwezig. De verslaggeving en bronnen zijn behouden.

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.