Oscar Piastri claims dominant victory in Bahrain
It was a race filled with drama and technical faults, but none of this fazed the unflappable Aussie, as he stormed to victory, beating George Russell in P2 by 15 seconds.
Under the lights in Bahrain, tyre degradation proved a crucial factor in the race’s development, with two or three stops emerging as the winning strategy by the end. Alongside this, several technical glitches affected key drivers. Both Russell and Leclerc experienced DRS issues, with the British driver also losing control of certain functions on his steering wheel during the race. As he later explained, “I clicked the radio button…the DRS opened.” He was investigated post-race but was cleared of gaining a sporting advantage, so his P2 finish stood.
Lando Norris, who started in 6th place, had a scrappy weekend. He consistently lacked the pace of teammate Piastri in qualifying and, come race day, earned a 5-second time penalty for being out of position in his grid box. However, the McLaren's raw speed was clear, as Norris surged up to P3. A late battle with Russell showed that second place was within reach for the championship leader.
The Ferraris of Leclerc and Hamilton rounded out the top 5 in what was an improved weekend for the Italian outfit. Unlike most of the grid, they started on medium tyres, allowing for a longer first stint and a potential tyre advantage later in the race. During the middle phase of the race, both drivers showed strong pace, with Leclerc overtaking Norris for third and setting off after Russell. However, a safety car caused by debris from a collision between Tsunoda and Sainz forced all front-runners to pit, wiping out any strategic edge. After switching to the hard compound, the Ferraris lacked the pace they had shown earlier and ultimately settled for 4th and 5th.
As for the reigning champion, it was a race to forget. Max Verstappen, starting 7th, had a poor getaway and was unable to make significant progress. Two slow pit stops and overheating issues further hampered his efforts, although a last-lap overtake on the Alpine of Gasly salvaged a P6 finish. His teammate Tsunoda also endured a tough race, finishing P9 after spending most of the afternoon in the midfield. Following the Grand Prix, reports surfaced that Red Bull held ‘crisis talks’ with senior figures to address their dip in form heading into the next rounds.
Elsewhere inside the top 10, there were standout performances from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and the Haas duo of Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman. Gasly, in a team yet to score points this season, qualified in P4 and showed excellent pace throughout, eventually finishing P7 after losing out to Verstappen on the final lap. For Haas, it looked like a tough weekend after Ocon crashed in qualifying and Bearman lined up P20. However, both drivers made lightning starts and benefitted from strong pace and sharp strategy calls to capitalise on the chaos ahead, scoring 5 valuable points and moving Haas ahead of Williams in the Constructors’ Championship after round 4.
Speaking of Williams, their promising start to the season plateaued in Bahrain. Alex Albon finished in P12, while Carlos Sainz was forced to retire due to significant damage to the right side of his car after contact with Tsunoda. Sainz, who had qualified 8th, showed strong early pace and looked set for points, but another setback adds to a disappointing start to the season for the Spaniard, denting his confidence further.
Others who narrowly missed out on points included rookies Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Jack Doohan. The late safety car disrupted their strategies, particularly for Antonelli, who had been battling past Verstappen at one point in the race.
The drama didn’t end at the chequered flag. Post-race, Nico Hülkenberg became the fourth driver this season to be disqualified, after excessive wear was found on the skid-plank beneath his car. He was dropped from 15th to last, capping another frustrating outing for the struggling Kick Sauber team.
Piastri’s win has reignited the championship fight between the two McLaren drivers. The Australian now moves ahead of Verstappen into P2 in the standings and sits just 3 points behind teammate Norris, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying title battle for the rest of the season.
Formula One returns next weekend for the final race in the current triple-header in Saudi Arabia, where F1 Academy will also take to the track for the second round of their season. The fast and challenging Jeddah circuit always delivers thrilling racing and is sure to be a spectacle you won’t want to miss.