Oscar Piastri delivered a flawless qualifying performance in Bahrain, securing his second career pole and the first-ever for McLaren at the Sakhir circuit. But it was Charles Leclerc who emerged as the surprise story, moving up to the front row after both Mercedes cars were handed grid penalties for exiting the pit lane prematurely during a red flag caused by Ocon’s crash.
Piastri’s speed was unquestionable, while teammate Lando Norris made costly mistakes and could only manage P6—four tenths off the pace. George Russell, initially second, will now start third, with rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli bumped down to fifth despite an impressive showing.
Leclerc, visibly surprised, acknowledged the unexpected result. “Honestly, I didn’t see it coming. The first Q3 run on used tyres was a disaster, but things turned around with fresh rubber. The updates are helping, even if it’s just a small step,” said the Ferrari driver.
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Further back, Lewis Hamilton endured another tough session, finishing ninth and trailing his Ferrari successor Carlos Sainz, who placed eighth for Williams. Pierre Gasly impressed with a sensational fourth-place effort for Alpine.
World champion Max Verstappen endured a frustrating day, ending up seventh after battling braking issues throughout qualifying. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten. It’s the first time this season both Red Bulls have made it into Q3—though far from where they hoped to be.
