Oscar Piastri claimed his first pole of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The young McLaren driver was fast all weekend and stayed cool when it mattered. He gave McLaren their first-ever pole at the Sakhir Circuit.
Piastri Leads the Way for McLaren
Oscar Piastri topped all three practice sessions. He showed great speed and control. In Q3, George Russell briefly held the fastest time. But Piastri came back strong. His lap of 1:29.841 was the best of the day.
“It felt good all weekend,” Piastri said. “I knew the others were close, but I gave it my best.” His lap put him on pole for Sunday’s race.
Charles Leclerc came third for Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli placed fourth in a great drive for Mercedes. Pierre Gasly took fifth for Alpine, showing solid pace.
Norris Misses the Mark
Lando Norris, Piastri’s teammate, had a hard time. He made a mistake in his final lap. He lost time in the first sector and ended up sixth.
“No idea what went wrong,” Norris said. “I just wasn’t fast enough.” He now faces a tough job in the race. A podium will be hard but not impossible.
Norris leads the drivers’ title race by just one point. Max Verstappen sits one point behind. Piastri is close too, only 13 points back.
Verstappen Faces Car Problems
Max Verstappen had a rough day. Red Bull changed the setup before qualifying. The changes made things worse. Verstappen said the car had understeer and brake issues.
“There’s something really wrong with the car,” he said over the radio. He qualified in seventh place.
Verstappen has struggled at tracks like this. He had the same issues in Australia and Japan. Both tracks are hard on tyres and grip—just like Bahrain.
His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, will start 10th. Red Bull looked off pace all day.
Mercedes Hit with Grid Penalties
Both Mercedes drivers got one-place grid drops. The team released them too soon after a red flag. The stewards said it was the team’s fault, not the drivers’.
Still, the penalty stands. George Russell, who was second before the drop, will now start fourth. Kimi Antonelli, the young rookie, moves up to third.
Antonelli has been impressive so far. This is only his third Formula 1 weekend. His clean laps and smart driving helped him beat many top names.
Tyre Wear Will Be Key
Bahrain is a hot and tough track. It has low grip and eats tyres fast. That makes tyre care one of the most important things on race day.
The McLaren car has been kind to its tyres all year. This gives Piastri a big edge. If he can keep his tyres fresh, he has a real shot at winning.
One-stop and two-stop plans will both be in play. Teams will watch tyre data closely. A safety car or quick pit stop could change the whole race.
Full Starting Grid (Top 10)
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Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
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Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
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George Russell (Mercedes)
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Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
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Lando Norris (McLaren)
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Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
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Carlos Sainz (Williams)
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Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
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Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
Midfield and Back of the Grid
Here are the rest of the starters:
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Jack Doohan
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Isack Hadjar
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Nico Hülkenberg
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Fernando Alonso
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Esteban Ocon (crashed in Q1)
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Alex Albon
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Liam Lawson
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Gabriel Bortoleto
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Lance Stroll
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Oliver Bearman
Ocon crashed in Q1 and will start 15th. Bearman, who replaced a sick driver at the last minute, will start last.
Can McLaren Win?
This is McLaren’s best chance to win in Bahrain. Piastri has track position. The car works well in these hot and rough settings. If he gets a good start, he could control the race.
Norris will try to move up the field. So will Verstappen. Both are strong racers. But they need smart tyre use and fast pit stops to catch Piastri.
The title fight is tight. Every point counts. If Piastri wins, he could close the gap at the top. If Norris or Verstappen can recover, it keeps the title race close.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is set to be a thrilling race. With strategy, tyre wear, and fast cars all in play, fans are in for a treat.