Franco Colapinto in the Bahrain Grand Prix race in Malaysia Formula 1, live

Franco Colapinto in the Bahrain Grand Prix race in Malaysia in Formula 1, live The Argentine will start 21st in Sepang, where he will race for the first time; Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will share the front row The start will maintain the original order The organizers, who have yet to set a start time for the race, announce that the restart will maintain the original grid, despite several cars losing positions due to misjudgment and being provisionally stopped. Meanwhile, several of the single-seaters are being taken to the pits. No information, more criticism As there are no announcements anticipating what will happen with the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, criticism grows on social media. Internet users lash out at the most advanced category of motorsports for the indefinite suspension of a race, while the cars appear vulnerable in the rain to the point of temporarily breaking down. One version indicates that the authorities postponed the start so that teams could check the power unit status of the cars, mainly in their software. Red flag: start suspended After several cars remained motionless on the side of the main straight, and due to a misjudgment by Lando Norris, the authorities apply the red flag: the race is suspended and all cars go to the pit lane. The drivers leave the single-seaters and there is uncertainty because there is no start time. 🚨 RACE CONTROL: The starting procedure has been suspended — Formula 1 (@F1) October 4, 2026 The drivers return to the pits #F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/U6kq7wMDJ9 Hamilton stays! In the formation lap, Max Verstappen, owner of pole position, reports problems with his Red Bull. But Lewis Hamilton has it worse, who must start second: his Ferrari travels at very low speed and is overtaken by the rest. He remains stopped on the main straight due to a computer failure, but after a few seconds resumes the race. The Haas of Esteban Ocon also remains motionless. WHAT A COMPLICATED HAND COMES! Verstappen and Hamilton, who start in 1st and 2nd respectively, had problems with the accelerator and the formation lap had to be suspended... — SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) October 4, 2026 📺 #BahrainGP | The entire #F1 season on ESPN in the Premium Plan of #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/rVtU8PWvKr The preceding lap is done Finally, the preceding lap begins. In curve 3, Isack Hadjar's Red Bull continues straight and crosses the chicane, despite the low speed imposed by the presence of the safety car. 😱 After the downpour and the delay, the formation lap behind the Safety Car and... HADJAR LEFT THE CHICANE!! UNUSUAL!! — SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) October 4, 2026 📺 #BahrainGP | The entire #F1 season on ESPN in the Premium Plan of #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/cZSZaqLQmi Intermediate rain tires The 22 single-seaters have tires for intermediate rain. It is deduced, then, that the teams do not expect the rain to worsen, at least in the initial laps of the race. The formation lap will be behind the safety car The organizers announce that the preceding lap will be led by the safety car, followed by the 22 cars. They do not provide any further news. If it remains, the start will be stopped. The preceding lap has a time While the public enjoys Sepang, where the commentators encourage them and music plays, the rain begins to ease and it is believed that once it passes there will be no more precipitation. Finally, the organizers announce the time for the preceding lap: 15:40 local time, 4:40 in Buenos Aires. Franco is not worried about the rain (at least in the pit lane) On a scooter and without an umbrella, Franco Colapinto surprises by appearing traveling only through the garage street. It is still raining and the Argentine driver, naturally, is soaked. Without a start time, he shows no minimal worry. FRANCO, PASSED THROUGH WATER. Waiting for the rain to ease, Colapinto enjoys his scooter on the Sepang circuit. — SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) October 4, 2026 📺 #BahrainGP | The entire #F1 season on ESPN in the Premium Plan of #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/7aA7jp9YpO The medical car checks the track and delays the start further A lap by the medical car on the track corroborates that it is dangerous to race in those conditions: the car skids on the water and does not authorize racing soon. A decision about the start time continues to be delayed. SHOWTIME! THE MEDICAL CAR SLIDES AND THE TRIBUNE GOES MAD IN MALAYSIA! There's a need to add some flair to the rain delay... 🏁🤣 — SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) October 4, 2026 📺 #BahrainGP | The entire #F1 season on ESPN in the Premium Plan of #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/Zq8woRtRtQ Official: start postponed in Malaysia The organizers decide to postpone the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia due to the intense rain in Sepang, but do not clarify how long. The water flows almost like a stream on the track. Nothing that the region is unfamiliar with, but the authorities want to reduce the possibility of serious accidents due to asphalt crossed by water currents. 🚨 RACE CONTROL: The start of the Grand Prix will be delayed #F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/VHDPCyXmEY — Formula 1 (@F1) October 4, 2026 The feared and expected element: it rains in Sepang A while before the race, it rains heavily at the Sepang racetrack, located about 40 kilometers south of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. The track designed by German engineer Herrmann Tilke has hosted many races under heavy precipitation between its debut in 1999 and the last one in 2017, which altered the logic in the classification. Furthermore, the heat degrades the tires a lot and makes several pit stops necessary. Everything can happen on the circuit which, of modern ones, is the favorite of several drivers. No let up 😵#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/eeFZMS8uSv — Formula 1 (@F1) October 4, 2026 What Alpine needs At a disadvantage of 15 points (83 to 68) in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors' World Championship with Racing Bulls and after Franco Colapinto's crash into Pierre Gasly that caused both cars to retire in Azerbaijan, Alpine is obligated to overtake the Italian squad in Sepang to not lose more ground. The A526 shows itself as the "best of the rest", that is, behind the Red Bulls, the Mercedes, the Ferraris and the McLarens, and needs to utilize that level so that the French driver stays ahead and the Argentine driver recovers positions, in pursuit of finishing ahead of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Franco's hope "I have many tires to choose from. I have soft, hard, medium... I have everything. We did a lot of work for the race, so we will try to move forward, to advance. I think it can be caught up. It is a track where, in general, there are many braking points, a lot of degradation, and with the long straights it helps to generate some overtakes. So I hope for good pace and move forward," Franco Colapinto stated to ESPN this Saturday, after the qualifying test, in which he finished 15th. Colapinto's words after qualifying The starting order In addition to Franco Colapinto (15), there are two drivers behind in the starting grid: Isack Hadjar (5, due to replacements in his Red Bull), will start in the 8th position, and Arvid Lindblad (30, for the same reason), will accelerate his Racing Bulls from 22nd. In short, the starting order is this: 1st, Max Verstappen (Red Bull); 2nd, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari); 3rd, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes); 4th, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 5th, Lando Norris (McLaren); 6th, Oscar Piastri (McLaren); 7th, George Russell (Mercedes); 8th, Isack Hadjar (Red Bull); 9th, Pierre Gasly (Alpine); 10th, Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi); 11th, Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls); 12th, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin); 13th, Carlos Sainz (Williams); 14th, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin); 15th, Nico Hülkenberg (Audi); 16th, Oliver Bearman (Haas); 17th, Esteban Ocon (Haas); 18th, Alex Albon (Williams); 19th, Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac); 20th, Sergio Pérez (Haas); 21st, Franco Colapinto (Alpine), and 22nd, Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls). FP3 CLASSIFICATION — Formula 1 (@F1) October 3, 2026 Antonelli fastest heading into qualifying ⏱️#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/jbjom0QJGV Colapinto, second to last but confident Franco Colapinto will race from the worst starting position for him this year: 21st. The penultimate position, his worst of the season, is a consequence of the 15-place delay sanction due to his crash in Azerbaijan (5) and the change of parts in his Alpine A526 (10). The Argentine has an advantage: Sepang has several zones that allow overtaking. Unlike what would almost certainly happen in Monaco, position 21 is not a definitive condemnation in Malaysia. Welcome to the instant follow-up of the race It is time for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, the 16th event of the Formula 1 Drivers and Constructors World Championships. The competition will take place at the Sepang circuit, will start at 4 AM Argentina time, will be broadcast by Fox Sports and the Disney+ platform, and covered minute by minute by LA NACION. - 1 - 2 Franco Colapinto finished last in the second practice of the Bahrain GP and accumulated a new penalty - 3 Franco Colapinto will start 21st in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia in Formula 1; pole by Max Verstappen - 4 Formula 1 confirmed that it will end the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the conflict in the Middle East