SAKHIR, Bahrain – In an exciting Bahrain Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri emerged victorious, reducing his teammate Lando Norris`s championship lead to just three points.
Piastri, starting from pole position, maintained control throughout the race. After a safety car period in the middle of the race, he extended his lead and secured his second win of the season, and his fourth in Formula 1.
Piastri`s winning margin was 15.4 seconds, although the race behind him was much closer and more eventful.
After the race, Piastri commented on his great result, saying it was an incredible weekend, starting strong in qualifying and finishing the race in style. He expressed his pride in winning in Bahrain, highlighting its importance for their team owners and acknowledging that this track has not always been favorable for them. He was pleased to achieve the team`s first win here.
Mercedes` George Russell played a crucial role in narrowing the championship gap by finishing second, holding off Norris in the final laps. Russell managed this despite a challenging 24-lap stint on soft tires.
Russell reported gearbox and DRS issues towards the end of the race. Stewards investigated and cleared him of any wrongdoing related to DRS use, confirming he gained no unfair advantage.
Russell explained that he felt in control until a brake-valve wire failure occurred, causing inconsistent pedal feel and steering issues, making it difficult to keep Norris behind. He was happy with second place, feeling that Norris might have overtaken him with one more lap.
Norris, who admitted to struggling with his McLaren`s setup on Saturday, started sixth and recovered to secure a podium finish after a chaotic race.
The British driver received a five-second penalty for being out of position at the start. His race was further complicated by errors in battles with other drivers. He ran wide while fighting Charles Leclerc and went off-track to overtake Lewis Hamilton, having to give the position back. It was a messy race for Norris, who was considered a preseason favorite for the title.
Norris acknowledged his mistakes in overtaking, expressing disappointment at not securing a one-two finish for McLaren, which would have been significant for the team. Despite the errors, he found some positives in his race.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth for Ferrari. Ferrari`s strategy to start their drivers on different tire strategies compared to the top 10 was impacted by a safety car, which negated their strategic advantage. Before the safety car, Ferrari seemed well-positioned to contend for a podium.
Max Verstappen passed Alpine`s Pierre Gasly late in the race for sixth place. Gasly, finishing seventh, earned Alpine`s first points of the season.
Esteban Ocon recovered from a poor qualifying to finish eighth, and Yuki Tsunoda secured his first points for Red Bull in ninth.
Oliver Bearman completed the top ten for Haas, continuing the American team`s positive start to the season.
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli had an eventful race, including aggressive overtaking and a battle with Verstappen, ultimately finishing 11th, indicating areas for improvement for the young driver.
Liam Lawson received two penalties, dropping him to 17th. A five-second penalty was for causing a collision with Lance Stroll, and a ten-second penalty for a later incident with Nico Hulkenberg.
Rupert Caldwell 
Tristan Blackwood