Max Verstappen said claiming pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix was "pretty incredible" considering the way Red Bull started the season.

The Dutch driver claimed his first pole since last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after setting a lap time 0.298 seconds faster than the closest competitor, Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar qualified in third, but will start the race in eighth due to a five-place grid penalty for changing his engine parts.

That move sees championship leader Kimi Antonelli rise up to third, while his Mercedes team-mate and title challenger George Russell will start from seventh in Sepang.

The race is being hosted in Malaysia; Verstappen won the last race at this circuit back in 2017, and he is hoping to repeat the trick on Sunday.

"It's fantastic," Verstappen said after claiming his first pole of the season.

"We have been trying many grands prix to get pole. Sometimes a bit closer than others but to finally get it, from where we started the season, pretty incredible.

"I'm happy and, for sure, I'm going to try and win [on Sunday]. When you start first, that's the target."

DU-DU-DU-DU… Max Verstappen #F1 || #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/4VLe9WUX3V

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 3, 2026

While Mercedes and McLaren struggled in Sepang, Ferrari adjusted far better to the track, with Charles Leclerc joining Hamilton on the front two rows.

None of the last three winners in Malaysia started the race from pole position, with Sebastian Vettel starting second in 2015, Daniel Ricciardo fourth in 2016 and Verstappen third in 2017.

The last polesitter to win in Sepang was Hamilton in 2014, offering the Ferrari driver plenty of hope ahead of the main race.

"I'm much happier with where the car is, but Sunday is a completely different ballgame," said Hamilton.

"Making these tyres last around this track – I mean, they’re overheating from the get-go.

"Every little bit of wheelspin you have, every little snap you have makes a difference of how far you're going to go.

"I like to think we've got a good balance. Max was really quick on his long runs, so I'll just try my best to hold onto him tomorrow."