Formula 1’s 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix Review
Under the glowing floodlights of Sakhir, the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix delivered a weekend of precision, penalties, and a rising star’s dominance. Oscar Piastri led from the front, securing pole position with a razor-sharp lap before translating it into a flawless race victory. McLaren’s momentum continued to build, while Mercedes and Ferrari remained in the hunt and Red Bull found themselves unexpectedly off the pace. With early-season tensions rising and new contenders emerging, Bahrain proved once again that nothing comes easy in Formula 1.
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2025 Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying
Oscar Pole-astri is BACK 🌟
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 12, 2025
The McLaren star dazzles under the Bahrain lights to secure top spot!#F1 #BahrainGP @Pirellisport pic.twitter.com/FqN8bHP1Ml
Oscar Piastri stormed to pole position at the Bahrain International Circuit, delivering a commanding lap of 1:29.841 to claim his second pole of the season and reinforce McLaren’s red-hot form. The Australian driver was quickest when it mattered most in Q3, beating out George Russell and Charles Leclerc in a tight battle under the floodlights.
Piastri had looked sharp throughout the session, and while Mercedes and Ferrari both threatened in the earlier segments, it was the McLaren man who held it together through the final run. Russell initially looked to have secured a front-row start, but post-qualifying penalties changed the picture.
Both George Russell and his Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli were hit with one-place grid drops for exiting the pit lane early following a red flag stoppage in Q2. The incident, caused by Esteban Ocon’s crash, briefly halted the session, and stewards ruled that both Mercedes drivers entered the fast lane before it was officially reopened.
As a result, Leclerc was promoted to the front row alongside Piastri, with Russell dropping to third. Pierre Gasly moved up to fourth in a welcome boost for Alpine, while Antonelli’s penalty bumped him to fifth.
👉 McLaren's first pole start in Bahrain
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 12, 2025
👉 Antonelli's best qualifying so far
More stats from Sakhir 👇#F1 #BahrainGP https://t.co/8HGoEBPBXe
Lando Norris, fastest in Q1, couldn’t replicate that pace in the top 10 shootout and settled for sixth. Max Verstappen had a muted session by his standards and will line up seventh, ahead of Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, and Yuki Tsunoda, who rounded out the top ten.
Behind them, Jack Doohan just missed out on Q3 in 11th, followed by Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso. Ocon, whose crash triggered the red flag, qualified 14th, with Alex Albon in 15th. The remaining spots went to Nico Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, Lance Stroll, and Oliver Bearman.
Bahrain Grand Prix Top Ten Qualifiers
Position | Driver | Team | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:29.841 |
2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:29.887 |
3 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:29.882* |
4 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:29.979 |
5 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:29.968* |
6 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:30.025 |
7 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:30.074 |
8 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams Mercedes | 1:30.196 |
9 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:30.308 |
10 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:30.457 |
*Note: Russell and Antonelli received one-place grid penalties, which dropped them to third and fifth respectively on the starting grid.
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix – Race Review
OSCAR ON POINT!!! 🫵
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 13, 2025
PIASTRI WINS THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 🎉#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/yQxyddUfPT
Oscar Piastri delivered a composed and dominant drive at the Bahrain International Circuit, claiming victory in style under the floodlights. Starting from pole, the McLaren driver led every lap of the race and absorbed pressure from both Mercedes and Ferrari to secure his second Grand Prix win of the season. It also marked McLaren’s first ever win in Bahrain, a historic milestone for the Woking team.
Piastri controlled the race from the outset, even managing a clean restart after a Safety Car triggered by Carlos Sainz’s retirement. The Australian never looked under serious threat, crossing the line over 15 seconds clear of his nearest rival.
That rival was George Russell, who brought home second place for Mercedes despite carrying technical issues for most of the race. Lando Norris, despite serving a five-second penalty for a grid infringement at the start, recovered well to complete a strong double podium finish for McLaren in third.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton in fifth. Max Verstappen, who struggled throughout the weekend with balance and tyre degradation, ended up sixth in what was a quiet race for Red Bull.
Alpine had a much-needed points haul, with Pierre Gasly finishing seventh and Esteban Ocon eighth. Yuki Tsunoda secured two points for Red Bull in ninth, while Haas rookie Oliver Bearman put in a strong recovery drive to claim the final point in tenth.
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2025 Bahrain Grand Prix – Final Race Classification:
Position | Driver | Team | Time/Gap | Points |
1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:35:39.435 | 25 |
2 | George Russell | Mercedes | +15.499s | 18 |
3 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | +16.273s | 15 |
4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +19.679s | 12 |
5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +27.993s | 10 |
6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | +34.395s | 8 |
7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | +36.002s | 6 |
8 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari | +44.244s | 4 |
9 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | +45.061s | 2 |
10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | +47.594s | 1 |
11 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +48.016s | 0 |
12 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | +48.839s | 0 |
13 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | +56.314s | 0 |
14 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | +57.806s | 0 |
15 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | +60.340s | 0 |
16 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | +64.435s | 0 |
17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | +65.489s | 0 |
18 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber Ferrari | +66.872s | 0 |
NC | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams Mercedes | DNF | 0 |
DSQ | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber Ferrari | Disqualified | 0 |
Oscar Piastri’s commanding win under the lights of Sakhir capped off a weekend that could prove pivotal in this year’s title race. With McLaren looking sharper than ever, Mercedes holding steady, and Ferrari stacking solid points, the pecking order continues to shift in this high-stakes season. As the dust settles in Bahrain, all eyes now turn to the high-speed challenge of Jeddah, where the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix awaits next weekend — a street circuit known for its drama, danger, and dazzling speeds.
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