Bahrain Grand Prix: Russell and Piastri delighted, Norris mixed

For his 50th Formula 1 Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri claimed a distinguished victory in Bahrain. George Russell took second place despite recurring technical issues with his Mercedes, while Lando Norris, penalized for a false start, managed to complete the podium.

Piastri, the show continues

The Australian driver first spoke with his engineers on the radio: « It’s going to be a hell of a night tonight! » A great achievement for his 50th start.

Everything started in the qualifications, which the Australian driver dominated from start to finish. An important race, as it was at home or almost for the papaya-colored team, part of which is owned by Bahrainis.

Regarding the deployment of the safety car, he spoke with humor: « I would have preferred it not to come, of course, but you know, I was confident. » Indeed, once the Aston Martin safety car returned to the pits, Piastri made a strong restart, allowing him to maintain a comfortable gap with George Russell.

Speaking to Canal and RTBF, he even tried to speak in French: Yes, I am happy, before losing his words and reverting to English: I have a good car, it was really a great weekend, I am proud of my qualifying result that allowed me to be here today.

Russell accumulates technical problems.

George Russell’s single-seater put him through the wringer, compromising his position at times. Brake issues, DRS, GPS, transponder, and electronic problems on the steering wheel plagued his race. Even with these difficulties, Russell remained positive: “It’s a really tough race, we had a lot of problems, and finishing second under these circumstances is really huge.” Nevertheless, he managed to keep the championship leader behind him, while acknowledging: “One more lap and he would have passed me.”

Regarding the open DRS issue, George Russell explained: « I was pressing the radio button, the DRS was opening, but it was open for less than a second. It’s just a technical issue. »

He did not fail to congratulate Oscar, even though the battle at the start and the first two laps was tough between the two drivers: « Oscar was in another world today, well done to McLaren. » Russell leaves Bahrain confident with his 4th podium of the season.

Despite all these problems, George managed to make the most of it and deliver good work to maintain his second place. It remains to be seen if this position will be upheld after the post-race technical checks, the results of which we will know in a few hours.

Norris: Too many costly mistakes

Lando Norris experienced an emotional rollercoaster and ends with mixed feelings. His goal was to finish second, but he had to settle for third place. He acknowledges having made mistakes that cost him dearly, including a five-second penalty for a false start. “I didn’t think I’d be so far ahead on the grid, I guess, nothing more than that,” explained Norris.

His race was also compromised by the obligation to give back a position to Hamilton, which slowed his progress. Despite these setbacks, he says he’s satisfied with his overall performance given the obstacles encountered. « A difficult race. I made too many mistakes during overtaking. It was a complicated race for me, and I’m disappointed for not achieving the double for McLaren, as it would have been magnificent at home. A difficult race, but with some positive points. »

Norris admits he will still have to adapt to his car for some time. « I have to keep my head up and continue to work hard because the confidence is not really there anymore and I don’t feel comfortable in the car. »

Another strong haul of points for the team 🧡💪#McLaren | #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/4vh5W2GhzP

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) April 13, 2025