Bahrain GP Shake-up: Verstappen Struggles as McLaren Dominates, Red Bull Falters
The opening rounds of the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend have turned expectations upside down, as Max Verstappen and the Red Bull camp found themselves on the back foot while McLaren soared to the top of the timesheets.
In Free Practice 2 (FP2), McLaren’s Oscar Piastri delivered a sensational lap time of 1:30.505 seconds to claim the top spot, backed up closely by teammate Lando Norris, who was just 0.154 seconds behind. The McLaren duo looked unstoppable, setting the tone for a strong weekend ahead and carrying on their excellent early-season form.
Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the top three, finishing over half a second behind Piastri. Charles Leclerc slotted into fourth for Ferrari, while teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli impressed with the fifth-fastest time for Mercedes. Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar stunned the paddock by finishing sixth, ahead of a struggling Max Verstappen, who could only manage seventh place—an unusual sight for the reigning champion.
Verstappen’s lackluster showing, 0.825 seconds off the pace, reflected a wider concern within Red Bull’s camp. While the Dutchman returned to the car in FP2 after rookie Ayumu Iwasa took the wheel during FP1, the performance still fell short of expectations. Meanwhile, teammate Yuki Tsunoda endured a nightmare session, ending up 18th, nearly 1.52 seconds behind Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari continued to show signs of strain. The seven-time world champion was visibly frustrated over the team radio, expressing concern about the handling of his SF-25. Despite this, he still managed eighth fastest, a marginal improvement on his earlier FP1 showing.
Elsewhere, young drivers continued to steal the spotlight. Haas rookie Ollie Bearman impressed with ninth fastest, edging out Williams’ Carlos Sainz, who completed the top ten. Alexander Albon followed closely in 11th, while Liam Lawson, consistently outperforming Tsunoda within the Red Bull structure, placed 12th in the second Racing Bull.
Further down the grid, the midfield battle appeared fierce. Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto took 13th, followed by Alpine’s Jack Doohan. Fernando Alonso had an unsettling moment when his steering wheel malfunctioned—first turning off, then detaching completely during FP2—forcing him to coast back to the pits for emergency repairs. Despite the incident, Alonso still finished ahead of teammate Lance Stroll, who had one of the slowest times on the board.
The day also brought trouble for Antonelli during FP1. The young Italian was sidelined within ten minutes due to a power issue and didn’t return to the track for the rest of the session, although he rebounded well in FP2.
Looking back at the FP1 session, McLaren’s Lando Norris topped the timesheets with a 1:33.204 lap, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. Williams’ Alex Albon showed promise in fourth, while Esteban Ocon took fifth for Haas.
The session featured six rookie drivers stepping in for their senior counterparts, offering a glimpse into the sport’s future talent. Luke Browning delivered the best result of the rookies with a solid 13th for Williams. Iwasa, representing Red Bull, finished a disappointing 19th in that session, while Frederik Vesti, Ryo Hirakawa, Felipe Drugovich, and Dino Beganovic also struggled to make a mark.
Interestingly, the Racing Bulls pairing of Lawson and Hadjar continued to outshine Red Bull’s main lineup, with Hadjar’s standout sixth place in FP2 putting further pressure on the underperforming Tsunoda.
Overall, the first day of running at the Bahrain Grand Prix was filled with surprises. From McLaren’s outright dominance to Red Bull’s puzzling lack of pace, the early indicators suggest a more competitive and unpredictable season than initially expected.
With Ferrari still seeking balance, Mercedes quietly building momentum, and McLaren clearly surging, the Bahrain GP could set the stage for a thrilling 2025 campaign. And if Red Bull doesn’t find answers quickly, the door may be wide open for a serious title challenge from multiple fronts.
