"McLaren Shines in the Desert – Piastri Claims Second Victory, Verstappen Falls Behind"

Just a few days after the Japanese Grand Prix, the participants of the Formula 1 World Championship arrived in Bahrain where, unlike the cool conditions during pre-season testing at the Sakhir Circuit, they were greeted by the desert heat.

During Friday’s free practice sessions, the harsh asphalt surface of the Sakhir track heated up to 48 degrees under the sun. In these extreme conditions, McLaren once again stood out with Lando Norris leading the first session of the day, and Oscar Piastri shining under the floodlights in the cooler evening session.

Oscar Piastri, who skillfully managed tire degradation in the tough weather and track conditions, excelled both in the final practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday, leaving his rivals behind. As a result, the Australian driver claimed his second career pole position and his second of the season. His teammate, Lando Norris, was unable to replicate the same success, a mistake during qualifying left him in 6th place.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and young teammate Kimi Antonelli surprised everyone by taking 2nd and 4th places respectively in qualifying. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc slotted between them in 3rd. However, after a red flag caused by Haas driver Esteban Ocon’s crash, it was revealed that Mercedes had violated regulations during the session. Consequently, both drivers were handed grid penalties and dropped one place each. This reshuffled the starting order, moving Leclerc up to 2nd and Alpine's Pierre Gasly, one of the stars of qualifying, up to 4th.

The intense heat and abrasive track surface forced teams to employ a variety of strategic approaches for the race. All tire compounds supplied by Pirelli were seen at the race start, as teams opted for different tactics. As the lights went out, Oscar Piastri took the lead and maintained it through the first corner. Charles Leclerc, who started on harder tires, lost position and overtaken by George Russell and Lando Norris. However, it was soon announced that Norris would receive a 5-second penalty for a false start procedure.

In the Bahrain Grand Prix, the abrasive surface and desert heat led teams to adopt different strategies. Piastri, who led the race from start to finish, maintained his position even after the restart following a Safety Car period and confidently secured the victory.

Compared to Piastri, Lando Norris had a more challenging race but displayed real fighting spirit. Falling behind the Ferrari drivers due to his penalty, the British driver first overcame strong resistance from Lewis Hamilton who was later voted "Driver of the Day" and then overtook Charles Leclerc. Toward the end of the race, Norris made several attempts to pass George Russell, who was struggling with issues, but ultimately finished in 3rd place.

Although Ferrari tried different strategies in this race, the Safety Car led by Bernd Mayländer disrupted their plans. Nevertheless, both Hamilton and Leclerc fought with all their might in the battle for the podium until the very end.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly scored points for the first time this season, delivering a successful result for both himself and his team. Haas, on the other hand, surprised many — Esteban Ocon, who crashed on Saturday, finished 8th, while debutant Oliver Bearman came 10th, earning his first career points.

Thus, the podium was occupied by Piastri, Russell, and Norris. Oscar Piastri claimed his second victory of the season, moving up to 2nd place in the championship standings. The Australian driver now has 74 points, just 3 points behind teammate Lando Norris (77 points). Max Verstappen, who finished 6th, trails Norris by 8 points (69 points). George Russell, with his third podium in four races, has collected 63 points.

In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren holds a strong lead over Mercedes with 151 points to 93.

The next race will take place on the street circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.