Photo via Motorsport.com

Starting grid for the 2026 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

Ahead of the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, multiple Formula 1 drivers have incurred substantial starting grid sanctions due to mechanical alterations and prior driving infractions. Red Bull competitor Isack Hadjar received a five-position drop for integrating an unauthorized power unit component into his car.

Meanwhile, Alpine racer Franco Colapinto faces a fifteen-position setback, stemming from a five-place penalty for a previous crash in Baku combined with a ten-position penalty for exceeding his V6 allotment. Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad accumulated the steepest penalty of the group, assigned a thirty-position demotion after exceeding his maximum allowance across multiple power unit components.

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