Bahrain Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri Dominates, Russell Takes Second

Oscar Piastri achieved a commanding victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, while George Russell successfully defended second place against Lando Norris.

McLaren`s Piastri led the race from start to finish, finishing 15 seconds ahead of Mercedes` Russell. His initial seven-second advantage was reduced by a safety car period during the intense race.

Norris, starting sixth, overtook Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc late in the race to secure the final podium position. This result narrowed Norris`s lead in the championship standings over his teammate Piastri to three points.

George Russell faced a post-race investigation for a DRS issue but avoided a penalty after officials determined he didn`t gain an unfair advantage. Technical problems appeared on his car in the final laps.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth after a poor start from second on the grid. Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc`s Ferrari teammate, had a better race, gaining four positions to finish fifth.

World Champion Max Verstappen had a challenging race with slow pit stops for Red Bull. He managed to pass Alpine`s Pierre Gasly on the last lap for sixth place, limiting the points loss to Norris to eight points.

Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen`s teammate, scored his first points for the team in ninth place. He finished between Haas drivers Esteban Ocon (P8) and Oliver Bearman (P10). Bearman achieved a remarkable result for Haas, gaining 16 positions.

This victory marked McLaren`s first win in Bahrain, considered their “second home race”. Combined with Norris`s third place, McLaren extended their lead over Mercedes in the constructors` championship to 58 points.

Piastri Leads McLaren to Bahrain Victory

The race mirrored the weekend, with Piastri consistently performing well in his McLaren, while Norris faced more challenges.

Despite expectations for a Red Bull one-two in qualifying, Norris`s mistake on his final lap placed him sixth on the grid, while Piastri secured pole position.

In the race, Piastri maintained his lead from Russell at the first corner and steadily increased his advantage.

His lead reached seven seconds after the first pit stops. A safety car was deployed on lap 32 due to debris on the track, prompting the leaders to make their second pit stops earlier than planned.

This benefited McLaren, who had a fresh set of medium tires available, unlike Russell, who had to finish the race on worn soft tires.

Piastri managed the restart effectively and dominated the final stint, securing his second win of the season and strengthening his position as a championship contender.

Piastri commented on the incredible weekend, highlighting the importance of winning in Bahrain for McLaren`s owners, especially considering the track`s history with the team.

Norris Regrets “Messy Race” After Penalty

After his qualifying mistake, Norris aimed for a McLaren one-two finish behind Piastri. He initially gained three positions at the start but received a five-second penalty for starting out of position.

He couldn`t overtake Russell in the first stint, and the penalty eliminated any chance of an undercut.

Norris lost pace in the second stint and was overtaken by Leclerc, briefly dropping to fifth behind Hamilton after the safety car restart.

Although Norris quickly regained fourth, the battle with Hamilton cost him time. A mistake while trying to pass Leclerc further delayed him before he eventually overtook with five laps remaining.

Norris closed in on Russell in the final laps but made a mistake at the first corner on the last lap, losing his chance to challenge for second.

Norris described his race as “messy” due to his mistakes and penalty. He expressed disappointment at not achieving a McLaren one-two at their “home” race.

Bahrain GP Results