What To Watch For in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

From familiar foes on the front row to Mercedes struggling to understand their performance, and from Isack Hadjar charging through the field to the particular challenges of the track surface this weekend, here are five things to look out for when we go racing for the first time since 2017 at Sepang…

1. Verstappen v Hamilton from the front row

Two of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history have had plenty of battles in the past, but remarkably the grid order of Max Verstappen on pole position and Lewis Hamilton alongside him on the front row has not been replicated since Abu Dhabi in 2021.

The pair delivered a title fight for the ages that season, and while they have not had too many opportunities to race each other for victories since then, this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia has now provided such a scenario.