Oscar Piastri secured a triumphant win at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, with the McLaren’s Australian driver finishing ahead of George Russell of Mercedes. Piastri’s teammate, Lando Norris, clinched third place.
Piastri, starting from pole position, delivered McLaren’s first-ever victory in Sakhir after 21 attempts, marking a significant milestone for the team.
“That should be one hell of a party tonight. Mega weekend everyone. That was pretty damn fun,” Piastri exclaimed. He celebrated his 50th start with a flawless performance.
Crossing the finish line under the floodlights on a pleasant Sunday evening was a fitting reward. Piastri had dominated the weekend, excelling in both practice sessions and qualifying.
A Drama-filled Race
Despite numerous incidents during the race, Piastri maintained his lead. He finished 15.499 seconds ahead of Russell, who faced an investigation for a DRS issue.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari secured fourth place, followed by Lewis Hamilton in fifth. Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, finished sixth for Red Bull. Pierre Gasly earned Alpine’s first points of the year, finishing seventh.
Rounding out the top 10 were Esteban Ocon (Haas), Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull), and Oliver Bearman (Haas). Ocon impressively recovered from a significant crash during qualifying.
Looking Ahead to Jeddah
The F1 circus now speeds toward the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (18–20 April) at Jeddah’s high-speed Corniche Circuit. Moved to April due to Ramadan, this night race promises intense battles under floodlights. Teams face a tight turnaround, with Red Bull and Mercedes eager to rebound on the demanding street track.
While Jeddah avoids the Sprint format, fans can anticipate six Sprint weekends in 2025, starting in China and Miami. The Saudi GP, however, retains its traditional structure, emphasizing raw pace and strategy on one of F1’s fastest circuits.
As F1 returns to Jeddah, Saudi motorsport continues its global ascent. With infrastructure upgrades and rising local interest, the Kingdom cements its role as a pivotal F1 hub. Piastri’s Bahrain triumph sets the stage for another electrifying Middle Eastern showdown—don’t miss lights out on 20 April.
