Verstappen’s Sepang wins were his first of the 2017 and 2026 F1 seasons

Max Verstappen’s win at Sepang on 4 October 2026 was his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season. His win at the same circuit on 1 October 2017 was his first of the 2017 season. The 2017 race was the final Malaysian Grand Prix; in 2026, Sepang hosted the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The routes to the lead differed. In 2017, Verstappen qualified third and passed championship leader Lewis Hamilton for the lead. In 2026, he started from pole, but a poor start on intermediates let Kimi Antonelli and George Russell pass him; he quickly overtook Russell. As the track dried, a safety-car period allowed drivers to switch to slicks. Verstappen chose new soft tyres while Antonelli and Russell took mediums, then reclaimed the lead from Antonelli at the restart.

Hamilton finished on the podium in both races, but his position changed. In 2017 he started from pole and finished second, 12.7 seconds behind Verstappen; in 2026 he started second and finished third behind Antonelli.

Ten drivers who appeared on the grid at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix were back on the Sepang grid in 2026. Verstappen alone among them drove for the same team in both years. The practice pattern also repeated: Verstappen was fastest in FP1 and fourth in FP2 in both 2017 and 2026; Kimi Räikkönen topped FP3 in 2017, while Kimi Antonelli did so in 2026.

The 2017 victory came in championship round 15; Verstappen’s first win of the 2026 season came in round 16.