Richard Parks Oscar Piastri stormed to a sensational pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix, showcasing both personal maturity and the strength of McLaren’s MCL39. His lap of 1:29.841 came during the final moments of Q3, stealing back the top spot from George Russell in a nail-biting qualifying session.
“I felt confident all weekend,” Piastri said after qualifying. “Others caught up more than I liked, but I delivered when it counted.”
This marks McLaren’s first-ever pole in Bahrain and a potential launchpad for their 2025 title campaign. The Australian’s form in all three practice sessions had hinted at a strong result, but the final margin—just 0.15 seconds ahead of Russell—revealed that the pack is closing in.
McLaren’s Success Marred by Internal Frustration
Despite the strong result for Piastri, McLaren’s weekend wasn’t without drama. Teammate Lando Norris, the current championship leader, struggled to match his teammate’s pace and could only qualify sixth. He admitted afterward, “No idea what happened—just not quick enough.”
The Brit lost significant time in sector one and expressed ongoing concerns about the car’s inconsistent behavior. Norris has previously said the MCL39 doesn’t always respond as expected during certain phases, and that issue still appears unresolved.
Nonetheless, McLaren’s overall pace and tyre management suggest a serious threat in Sunday’s high-degradation race, especially if strategy plays to their strengths.
Russell and Antonelli Penalized Despite Strong Showings
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli both showed impressive form in their Mercedes cars, qualifying second and fourth respectively. However, both were handed one-place grid penalties after Mercedes released them too early following a red flag during qualifying.
The FIA acknowledged the mistake was on the team’s part, not the drivers’, but the penalties still stood. Russell drops to third, and Antonelli to fifth. Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari will start second as a result.
Russell had briefly held provisional pole during Q3 and looked on course for a front-row start. “The car felt great today,” he said. “It’s frustrating to lose a spot because of a procedural error, but we’re still in the mix.”
Verstappen’s Setup Woes Spell Trouble for Red Bull
Reigning champion Max Verstappen had a surprisingly poor outing, qualifying down in seventh. Despite Red Bull’s strong form in Japan just one week ago, the Dutchman struggled with car balance and braking around the hot, slippery Bahrain circuit.
“There’s something really wrong with the car,” Verstappen told reporters. “Understeer, poor traction, and terrible braking—it’s not good.”
Red Bull made setup changes before qualifying, but they appear to have worsened the car’s performance. The RB21’s known weaknesses in hot and high-degradation conditions could turn Sunday’s race into a matter of damage control for the team.
Full Starting Grid: Bahrain Grand Prix 2025
With penalties applied, the revised starting grid for Sunday’s race is:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
- Jack Doohan (Alpine)
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
- Nico Hülkenberg (Haas)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
What to Expect on Race Day
Unlike last week’s processional Japanese Grand Prix, Bahrain promises strategic chaos. The Sakhir circuit is known for extreme tyre wear, variable grip, and punishing track temperatures. A two-stop strategy—or even three—could be key for victory.
With Piastri on pole and showing excellent tyre preservation, McLaren has a golden opportunity to secure their first win of the season. However, the midfield pack is tight, and anything can happen with changing conditions and pit strategy gambles.
As the championship standings remain tight—with Norris leading Verstappen by just one point and Piastri only 13 behind—Sunday’s results could dramatically shift the early season momentum.