Bahrain Grand Prix 2025: Oscar Piastri dominated the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix to claim his second career Formula 1 victory, putting on a flawless performance from pole position. Despite an early scare at Turn 1 when George Russell locked up and came close to contact, Piastri maintained his lead and gradually built a significant advantage. Meanwhile, his McLaren teammate Lando Norris overcame a five-second grid penalty for being out of position and charged back through the field to finish third. George Russell, who started third after a grid penalty, managed to fend off Norris’ late challenge to finish second, although a post-race investigation for a DRS infringement looms over his result.
Behind the leading trio, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari after both showed strong pace in the middle stages. Max Verstappen endured a difficult evening due to pit stop issues and overheating problems, yet managed to snatch sixth place from Pierre Gasly in the closing laps. Gasly’s seventh-place finish gave Alpine their first points of the season, while Esteban Ocon followed closely in eighth, benefitting from an early stop strategy. Yuki Tsunoda brought home ninth for Red Bull after a feisty battle, and Ollie Bearman rounded out the top ten, securing additional points for Haas.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli narrowly missed out on points, finishing 11th after running in the top 10 earlier. Alex Albon was the lone Williams finisher in 12th, with Nico Hulkenberg in 13th for Kick Sauber and Isack Hadjar in 14th for Racing Bulls. Jack Doohan continued his hunt for first points in 15th, ahead of a struggling Fernando Alonso, who could only manage 16th in the Aston Martin. Liam Lawson took 17th after being penalized for a collision with Hulkenberg, and Lance Stroll and Gabriel Bortoleto completed the classified finishers. Carlos Sainz was the only retiree, pulling out due to damage sustained in contact with Tsunoda.
Piastri’s win came despite a mid-race Safety Car, triggered by debris after a collision involving Sainz and Tsunoda. While the field bunched up, Piastri kept his composure and built a strong gap again after the restart. The strategic battle added drama, with Russell choosing soft tyres and calling it an “audacious” move, while others opted for mediums or hards. Norris had multiple wheel-to-wheel battles, including with Leclerc and Hamilton, and eventually overtook the Monegasque for third. He chased Russell relentlessly in the final laps but fell short by just 0.774 seconds.
With his commanding 15-second victory, Piastri marked his 50th Formula 1 start in style, solidifying McLaren’s strong early form in the 2025 season. Norris’ recovery and Russell’s resilience ensured a thrilling podium battle, while Ferrari and Red Bull showed mixed results. The season opener has already hinted at fierce competition ahead, and with investigations pending and upgrades to come, the championship race is wide open.
