Bahrain GP 2025 highlights: Piastri dominates, Max struggles, and Ferrari gets a grip

The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off with a bang at the Bahrain Grand Prix, where Oscar Piastri delivered a stunning performance to secure McLaren's first-ever win in Bahrain. Starting from pole position, Piastri controlled the race from start to finish, leading the majority of the laps and cruising to victory.

Despite a challenging weekend, including a five-second grid penalty, Lando Norris fought his way through the pack to claim third place on the podium. Norris wasn’t without his struggles; he started the race from sixth and had a tense battle with George Russell for the final podium spot. But with his usual determination, he climbed the ranks and salvaged crucial points for McLaren, maintaining his three-point lead in the Drivers' Championship standings over teammate Piastri.

For defending champion Max Verstappen, the Bahrain GP was nothing short of a disaster. Despite showing strong pace in practice, Verstappen found himself struggling to match the performance of his competitors during the race. A series of technical issues — including a faulty pit stop and braking problems — left him stuck in sixth place, unable to challenge for a podium.

While Liam Lawson faced a disappointing race, teammate Yuki Tsunoda was Red Bull’s shining star in Bahrain, finishing in ninth place and securing valuable points. His performance was a marked improvement over his recent form and gave Red Bull hope for a more fruitful season.

At the Bahrain Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc plummeted to a fourth-place finish, starting from second on the grid. This result highlights his ability to extract maximum performance from the SF-25 as he successfully executed a one-stop tyre strategy.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, started from ninth on the grid and made a commendable recovery to finish fifth, earning the Driver of the Day accolade. Hamilton acknowledged the need to adjust his driving style to suit the SF-25, noting differences in braking and engine characteristics compared to his previous experiences.

The Bahrain Grand Prix wasn’t kind to Carlos Sainz either. The Ferrari driver had a rough start, getting caught in early-race contact with Yuki Tsunoda, which left him with significant car damage. Sainz was forced to retire early from the race, much to the disappointment of his team.

One of the most exciting moments of the race came from Oliver Bearman, who managed to storm through the field from 20th to 10th, earning his more Formula 1 points for Haas.