McLaren, the new third force
Despite a hectic weekend, McLaren stands out in Bahrain by becoming the third strongest team on the grid.
A disappointing Saturday
A frustrating Saturday for McLaren, with only one driver reaching Q3. Lando Norris managed to qualify 9th, while his teammate Carlos Sainz was halted in Q2 with no lap time due to a mechanical issue. The team from Woking might have regrets, as their direct rivals performed better. Perez qualified 5th, followed by both Renaults in 6th and 7th positions.
The misfortune of some makes the happiness of others.
After Romain Grosjean’s terrible accident, which reminded us how dangerous this sport can be, the race took place with important stakes for the Constructors’ standings. Lance Stroll’s accident, which left him upside down during the Grand Prix restart, eliminated a direct competitor for McLaren.
In the battle with the Renaults in the pack, the Woking single-seaters managed to stand out. With a good strategy and high-performing cars, Sainz and Norris were able to get rid of the Renault drivers.
A single dark spot on the horizon, Sergio Perez was a solid 3rd! Unfortunately for the Mexican, fate had other plans. The Racing Point driver had to retire a few laps before the end due to engine failure, prompting another intervention of the safety car. The two McLarens ultimately finished just off the podium in 4th and 5th positions.
Great performance in the constructors’ championship
Mathematically speaking, McLaren made a very good move this weekend as both drivers scored a total of 22 points compared to 8 for Renault and zero for Racing Point.
The double retirement of Racing Point and the significant points brought in by Sainz and Norris allow McLaren to climb to the 3rd step of the constructors’ podium. This 3rd place, synonymous with a large influx of money for the next season, has been fiercely contested since the beginning of the season between Renault, McLaren, and Racing Point.
With two races remaining in the season, McLaren now has a 17-point lead over the Silverstone team. Renault, which only scored 8 points this weekend, is falling behind. The diamond has a 27-point deficit to McLaren and 10 to Racing Point.
