Oscar Piastri achieved a commanding victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, while George Russell successfully defended his second-place position against Lando Norris.
Piastri of McLaren led the race from start to finish, crossing the finish line 15 seconds ahead of Russell from Mercedes. A safety car period momentarily reduced Piastri`s seven-second lead, but he quickly re-established his dominance.
Norris, starting from sixth on the grid, overtook Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc late in the race to secure the final podium spot. This result narrows Norris`s lead over his teammate Piastri in the world championship standings to just three points.
George Russell faced an investigation after the race for a DRS infringement. Technical issues appeared on his car in the final laps, but stewards determined he did not gain an unfair advantage and no penalty was issued.
Charles Leclerc, after a poor start from second, finished fourth. Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc`s Ferrari teammate, had a more successful race, gaining four positions to finish fifth.
Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, endured a frustrating race with slow pit stops from Red Bull. However, he managed to pass Alpine`s Pierre Gasly on the last lap to finish sixth, limiting the extension of Norris`s lead to eight points.
Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen`s teammate, earned his first points for the team by finishing ninth. He placed between Haas drivers Esteban Ocon (P8) and Oliver Bearman (P10). Bearman achieved an impressive result for Haas, gaining 16 positions.
McLaren`s victory, their first in Bahrain, combined with Norris`s third place, extends their lead over Mercedes in the constructors` championship to 58 points.
Bahrain GP Result: Top 10
| Driver | Team |
|---|---|
| 1) Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 2) George Russell | Mercedes |
| 3) Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 4) Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5) Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 6) Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 7) Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 8) Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 9) Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull |
| 10 ) Oliver Bearman | Haas |
Piastri Secures Victory After Dominant Performance
Piastri`s race performance mirrored the weekend, as the Australian driver consistently extracted maximum performance from his McLaren, contrasting with Norris`s struggles.
Despite expectations for a Red Bull one-two in qualifying, Norris`s mistake on his final lap placed him sixth on the grid, while Piastri secured pole position with a composed lap.
In the race, Piastri maintained his lead from Russell at the first corner and progressively increased his advantage.
A safety car was deployed on lap 32 due to debris, closing Piastri`s seven-second gap and prompting early second pit stops for the leaders.
McLaren strategically benefited as they had fresh medium tires available, while Russell was forced to use fading soft tires for the final 25 laps.
Piastri managed the restart effectively and maintained a comfortable lead, becoming the first driver this season to achieve two wins and solidifying his position as a championship contender.
Piastri commented, `It`s been an amazing weekend, starting strong in qualifying and finishing the race in style today. It`s especially significant for our team owners, and it`s great to get our first win here at a track that hasn`t traditionally been favorable for us.`
Norris Laments “Messy Race” and Recovery Effort
After his qualifying error, Norris aimed for a McLaren one-two finish behind Piastri and made a strong start, gaining three positions in the initial corners.
However, he received a five-second penalty for starting out of position, which had to be served at his first pit stop, hindering his progress.
Norris was unable to overtake Russell in the first stint, and the penalty eliminated the possibility of an undercut against Mercedes.
During the second stint, Norris lacked pace and was overtaken by Leclerc. He also briefly lost fourth place to Hamilton after the safety car restart.
Although Norris quickly regained his position, the battle with Hamilton cost him time. A lock-up further delayed his attempt to pass Leclerc, which he eventually accomplished with five laps remaining, reviving McLaren`s hopes for a one-two finish.
Norris closed in on Russell but made a mistake at the first corner on the final lap, missing his chance to challenge for second place in the DRS zone.
Norris stated, `It was a difficult race. I made too many errors with overtakes and the starting position. A messy race from my side. I`m disappointed we couldn`t secure a one-two for McLaren, especially as it feels like a home race.`
Wesley Dunham 
Gilbert Pendleton