Bahrain once again delivered an exciting race, suggesting McLaren`s Oscar Piastri could be a strong contender for this year`s championship.
Piastri has recovered from the points lost in Melbourne and is demonstrating both speed and composure.
His calm demeanor is striking, reminiscent of drivers like Alain Prost, known for their exceptional emotional control.
Bahrain, the circuit`s owners, and McLaren celebrated a home victory after 21 years. The Bahrain circuit, once considered less thrilling, has been transformed since becoming a night race in 2014, coinciding with the hybrid car era.
The track surface, laid in 2004, has retained its character with bumps that challenge both cars and drivers, a positive attribute. The abrasive asphalt, designed for extreme heat and sandstorms, also heavily impacts tire performance, adding variability to the races.
This led to the use of all three tire compounds and diverse strategies. A safety car on lap 32, to clear debris from Carlos Sainz`s damaged Williams, further complicated matters.
The safety car was necessary due to the debris`s dangerous position on the racing line, inaccessible even under a virtual safety car.
Norris Performance
Lando Norris, starting sixth after a poor qualifying, made an excellent start to gain third place immediately. However, he exceeded his grid box, incurring a five-second penalty served at his first pit stop.
Sometimes drivers misjudge their grid position from the cockpit, hence the yellow lines to aid visibility.
Norris was boxed in at the safety car restart by Ferraris, losing position. Despite this and overtaking Ferraris later, McLaren`s pace suggested he should have finished second.
George Russell, despite brake and electrical issues in his Mercedes, drove exceptionally to maintain his position. This drive was crucial as he seeks a new contract for 2026, amidst rumors of Max Verstappen`s potential availability.
Piastri dominated, while Russell and Norris completed the podium, leaving Ferraris in fourth and fifth. Ferrari drivers were happier with car upgrades, yet Charles Leclerc finished 20 seconds behind Piastri and Lewis Hamilton 28 seconds back.
Ferrari`s delayed first pit stops showed promise, but significant progress is needed. With upcoming races, budget constraints, and focus on 2026 car changes, rapid improvement is challenging.
Red Bull`s Struggles
Even Verstappen`s skill couldn`t rescue Red Bull from a difficult weekend. The car seemed hard to handle, with Verstappen struggling in braking zones. He finished sixth, passing Pierre Gasly late in the race, hindered by slow pit stops.
Yuki Tsunoda scored points for Red Bull in ninth, a stark contrast to their Japanese GP win just days prior, causing confusion and prompting serious internal discussions.
Gasly, starting fourth, finished seventh for Alpine, a strong result considering their season start.
Williams initially looked promising, especially Sainz starting in the top 10. However, he lost places and a collision with Tsunoda and Kimi Antonelli led to a penalty and retirement.
Alex Albon finished 12th for Williams. Haas capitalized, with Esteban Ocon eighth and Ollie Bearman tenth from the back of the grid, demonstrating tire compound flexibility with varied strategies.
Haas now ranks fifth in the Constructors` Championship, ahead of Aston Martin, who are struggling, with Fernando Alonso yet to score.
Numerous incidents and penalties kept stewards busy. Nico Hulkenberg`s Sauber was disqualified for excessive skid plate wear.
Attention now turns to the fast Jeddah circuit for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Formula 1 heads to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the second race of the 2025 season.
