Formula 1’s 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix Review

Oscar Piastri, Mclaren, Formula 1, ANdrea Stella

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.

For Tickets and Package Deals Please Click Here

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying

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.

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

PositionDriverTeamTime
1Oscar PiastriMcLaren Mercedes1:29.841
2Charles LeclercFerrari1:29.887
3George RussellMercedes1:29.882*
4Pierre GaslyAlpine Renault1:29.979
5Andrea Kimi AntonelliMercedes1:29.968*
6Lando NorrisMcLaren Mercedes1:30.025
7Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT1:30.074
8Carlos Sainz Jr.Williams Mercedes1:30.196
9Lewis HamiltonFerrari1:30.308
10Yuki TsunodaRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT1:30.457

*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 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.

For Tickets to the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix Please Click Here

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix – Final Race Classification:

PositionDriverTeamTime/GapPoints
1Oscar PiastriMcLaren Mercedes1:35:39.43525
2George RussellMercedes+15.499s18
3Lando NorrisMcLaren Mercedes+16.273s15
4Charles LeclercFerrari+19.679s12
5Lewis HamiltonFerrari+27.993s10
6Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT+34.395s8
7Pierre GaslyAlpine Renault+36.002s6
8Esteban OconHaas Ferrari+44.244s4
9Yuki TsunodaRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT+45.061s2
10Oliver BearmanHaas Ferrari+47.594s1
11Andrea Kimi AntonelliMercedes+48.016s0
12Alexander AlbonWilliams Mercedes+48.839s0
13Isack HadjarRacing Bulls Honda RBPT+56.314s0
14Jack DoohanAlpine Renault+57.806s0
15Fernando AlonsoAston Martin Aramco Mercedes+60.340s0
16Liam LawsonRacing Bulls Honda RBPT+64.435s0
17Lance StrollAston Martin Aramco Mercedes+65.489s0
18Gabriel BortoletoKick Sauber Ferrari+66.872s0
NCCarlos Sainz Jr.Williams MercedesDNF0
DSQNico HulkenbergKick Sauber FerrariDisqualified0

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.

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Formula 1, Seating CHart Track layout

For Tickets and Package Deals to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Please Click Here

Sources:

Similar Posts