Verstappen suffers devastating session as championship l…..read more
The Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session delivered a series of unexpected twists, with several top contenders enduring disappointing performances while a few underdogs rose to the occasion. The biggest surprise came from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who delivered a spectacular late flying lap to secure pole position, overtaking a previously rapid George Russell. The Brit, who had dominated much of qualifying, was set for pole before a controversial and costly mistake from the Mercedes team saw him penalized post-session, dropping him to third on the starting grid.
George Russell initially looked unstoppable in his Mercedes, showcasing blistering pace and setting the benchmark for much of the qualifying hour. However, the celebrations were short-lived, as Mercedes faced a penalty due to a significant pit lane infringement. This blunder not only cost Russell his pole position but also affected his rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, who had impressively claimed fourth place on merit but will now line up in fifth following the penalty.
Benefiting from Mercedes’ mishap, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc moved up to second on the grid and will now start alongside Piastri on the front row. The revised second row will see Russell in third and Antonelli in fifth, sandwiching championship leader Lando Norris, who could only manage sixth in a lackluster outing.
It was a frustrating session for Norris, who had been expected to challenge for pole but failed to extract the maximum from his McLaren. He ended up just ahead of his main title rival Max Verstappen, whose own qualifying run was marred by a series of struggles. The reigning world champion had trouble finding rhythm and pace throughout the session, and after qualifying ninth in Q2, he improved only slightly to secure seventh in Q3. Red Bull teammate Yuki Tsunoda had a similarly underwhelming performance, qualifying tenth.
Red Bull’s junior driver Liam Lawson was the slowest among all the drivers affiliated with the energy drink giant’s F1 program. He was eliminated in Q1 and will start from the back of the grid, a disappointing outcome that will likely raise questions about his readiness for a full-time seat.
There was drama midway through the second qualifying segment when Haas driver Esteban Ocon lost control of his car at high speed. The Frenchman slammed into the wall, triggering a red flag and halting the session temporarily as marshals cleared his wrecked vehicle from the track.
Lewis Hamilton, now racing for Ferrari, had a tough session as well. He couldn’t match the pace of teammate Leclerc and ended up ninth on the timesheets, finishing six-tenths of a second adrift. Hamilton was notably apologetic to his team after the session, acknowledging his struggles. He had a scrappy outing, having abandoned his first flying lap after understeering off-track and later had a time deleted for exceeding track limits, costing him an extra set of soft tyres in the process.
As the grid forms for Sunday’s race, the scene is set for an unpredictable and exciting Bahrain Grand Prix. With Piastri on pole, Leclerc close behind, and the two main title contenders—Norris and Verstappen—starting from the third and fourth rows, the race promises drama and opportunity in equal measure.
