SEPANG, Malaysia (AP) — Max Verstappen has set himself a target of winning one race in what's left of the 2026 Formula 1 season, after missing out by less than two tenths of a second at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Verstappen arrives at F1's first race in Malaysia since 2017 with the prospect looming of a first winless season since his rookie year in 2015 as Red Bull struggles to keep up with Mercedes at the front despite recent improvements.
"We are scoring quite a few podiums now but I want to win. That’s what I’m here for and I’m getting close, but I want to at least win one race this year. So I hope we can do it at some point," Verstappen said Thursday ahead of this week's race, which is branded as the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
"We’re anyway not fighting for the championship, so for us it’s a big learning curve, but the last few weekends have been a lot better (than) at the start of the season."
Verstappen's desperate charge against George Russell on the final straight in Baku on Saturday ended in his fourth runner-up finish in the last eight races. He's sixth in the standings with barely half of leader Kimi Antonelli's points tally.
Exactly how many races are left in 2026 for Verstappen to chase an elusive win remains unclear given the uncertainty over the final two scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Eight are left on the schedule including those races, but if they can't go ahead, F1 could opt for one replacement event in Italy.
Asked which tracks might suit his chances best, Verstappen said: "You don’t really know because it also depends on what (upgrades) other people are bringing constantly. I don’t really care to be honest. As long as I win one that would be nice."
See AP’s full auto racing coverage here
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen smiles during the drivers' press conference ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian airline captain who was at the controls of a FlyDubai flight when a copilot stabbed him in an apparent attempt to crash the plane has been hailed as a hero, with his actions to thwart the disaster drawing praise from world leaders.
Capt. Smit Machchhar, who is from India’s financial hub of Mumbai, was seriously injured in Wednesday's attack. Passengers described how the pilot still managed to open the cockpit door to let them in. They restrained the attacker while the Boeing 737 descended sharply, according to witnesses and Israeli authorities.
The attack forced the flight carrying 174 people from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, to make an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, said late Wednesday. Embassy officials were in contact with his family and Saudi authorities.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Machchhar a hero.
“In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy,” Modi wrote on X.
According to Machchhar's LinkedIn profile, he has worked for FlyDubai for about four years. Before joining the airline, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, an Indian low-cost carrier, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain.
He has logged more than 9,750 flying hours, according to the profile.
Machchhar, who is married and has two children, trained as a pilot at Mainland Air in the New Zealand city of Dunedin for 18 months, beginning in 2008, the school's CEO, Philip Kean, told 1News.
Kean said Machchhar "did very well” as a student and later returned to India where he worked as a recruiter for the school.
“We’re all very proud of him here and wish him a speedy recovery,” he said.
SpiceJet, in a post on X, praised Machchhar’s “heroic courage” and “selfless actions.” “You are a hero to us all, Captain,” the airline wrote.
The attack triggered a major security response in Israel, with authorities scrambling fighter jets in case of a possible hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was undergoing interrogation there. His motive for the attack was not immediately clear.
Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s “extraordinary bravery” in a post on X, saying the wounded captain fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker, preventing what Netanyahu described as a “catastrophic midair disaster.”
“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote.
In Ghatkopar East, the Mumbai suburb where Machchhar’s family lives, neighbors spoke of how easy-going he is and also lauded his courage.
“He has a lot of bravery in him,” said Ami Sapani, a neighbor who knows the family.
Associated Press journalist Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.
News media personnel film in the building where relatives of Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot for Flydubai, previously lived in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
News media personnel stand outside the building where relatives of Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot for Flydubai, previously lived in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
