Bahrain GP Qualifying Shake-Up: Piastri on Pole, Surprises… Read more
Oscar Piastri claimed a well-earned pole position for McLaren at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the fourth round of the 2025 Formula One season. McLaren was expected to perform well due to its strength in managing tire wear in hot conditions, and while a papaya car topping qualifying wasn’t shocking, it was surprising that teammate Lando Norris could only manage sixth on the grid—four-tenths behind Piastri.
Charles Leclerc will start alongside Piastri on the front row in his Ferrari, having put in a strong performance. George Russell originally qualified third but received a one-place grid drop due to a team infringement, promoting Pierre Gasly to fourth. Kimi Antonelli, Russell’s Mercedes teammate, also received a one-place penalty and will now start fifth.
Norris leads the championship going into the race but had a disappointing qualifying session and lines up sixth. Max Verstappen starts seventh in a Red Bull that didn’t look particularly dominant, while Carlos Sainz, now driving for Williams after his Ferrari exit, will start eighth. Lewis Hamilton, in his first season with Ferrari, could only manage ninth, finishing nearly a second off pole and trailing his teammate Leclerc by six-tenths. Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten.
The qualifying session was chaotic, particularly in Q2. Nico Hülkenberg had his lap time deleted for track limits well after the session ended, which reshuffled the grid and promoted drivers like Alex Albon. However, Albon’s situation was already compromised by a team miscue that left him stuck in pit lane traffic. He started his outlap late, with cold tires and heavy traffic, ultimately qualifying 15th—his worst start of the season.
Mercedes team principal James Vowles noted that poor execution on Albon’s side of the garage prevented him from getting a clean outlap, losing crucial tire temperature. The midfield remains highly competitive this season, with minor mistakes proving costly, especially as prize money and standings are tightly contested.
What makes this weekend particularly intriguing is the strategic variety expected during the race. Unlike at Suzuka, Bahrain offers better overtaking opportunities, and tire strategies will be diverse. Piastri and Leclerc have two sets of medium tires, while Russell only has one, and Verstappen has two sets of hards—adding uncertainty to Sunday’s action.
Though qualifying was eventful, drivers like Russell and Piastri emphasized that the race won’t be straightforward. Strategy, tire choices, and the ability to overtake will likely determine the outcome.
Post-qualifying predictions place Piastri, Russell, and rookie Kimi Antonelli as potential podium finishers—but with a mixed-up grid and strategic wildcards, Sunday’s race is anything but predictable.
