The 2025 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, held on April 13 at the Bahrain International Circuit, showcased a commanding performance by McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Celebrating his 50th Grand Prix, Piastri achieved a career-first hat trick—securing pole position, recording the fastest lap, and clinching victory. This win marked McLaren's inaugural triumph at the Sakhir circuit and propelled Piastri to second place in the Drivers' Championship, just three points behind teammate Lando Norris.
Piastri maintained control throughout the 57-lap race, even after a safety car on lap 32 erased his initial lead. He crossed the finish line 15.499 seconds ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, who managed to hold off Norris despite grappling with multiple technical issues, including brake-by-wire failures and dashboard malfunctions.
Norris, starting from sixth, faced a five-second penalty for a false start—reported by Max Verstappen—but demonstrated resilience by climbing to third. His efforts ensured McLaren's first double podium of the season.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured fourth and fifth places, respectively, with Hamilton earning the "Driver of the Day" accolade for his strategic overtakes.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen encountered a challenging race, finishing sixth due to pit stop delays and braking issues. Pierre Gasly delivered Alpine's first points of the season in seventh, while Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda, and rookie Oliver Bearman rounded out the top ten.
Post-race, Nico Hülkenberg was disqualified for excessive plank wear, promoting Bearman into the points.
In the championship standings, Norris leads with 77 points, followed by Piastri (74), Verstappen (69), and Russell (63). McLaren tops the Constructors' Championship with 151 points, ahead of Mercedes (93) and Red Bull (71).
The Bahrain Grand Prix underscored McLaren's resurgence and set the stage for an intense championship battle as the season progresses.
