McLaren has put the pedal to the metal towards a weekend of clear dominance in the Bahrain GP, and Óscar Piastri is doing the same to Norris. Although the Briton was far from the lead on Saturday.
Óscar Piastri leads the Bahrain GP
The Australian led the Bahrain GP qualifying ahead of the Mercedes and Leclerc. The MCL39 is known to be better suited to Oscar’s driving style, a driver who is more comfortable with understeer than oversteer, unlike Lando.
Next to him, and contrary to expectations, is an outstanding George Russell, who has placed his Mercedes next to Piastri’s McLaren, as usual, and ahead of Charles Leclerc, who has made the leap that Ferrari needed.
Even so, it is not the difference between the two McLarens that is worrying, but the advantage of the orange car over all the others. Leclerc was third, but the rest were all beyond second place. The extreme heat of Sakhir multiplies the differences and rewards the team that causes the least suffering to the tires and the mechanics.
This time Max Verstappen could not work the miracle, and in fact the Dutchman could only manage seventh place, just behind Norris.
In conditions totally different to those that allowed them to shine in the tests two months ago, Carlos Sainz saved Williams’ honor, reaching Q3 and qualifying eighth, while in the other British car, Alex Albon was eliminated in the first round.
Fernando Alonso continues to struggle at the Bahrain GP and does not get past Q2: 13th
Q3 was really close, and in fact George Russell was just one tenth of a second behind Piastri, with Charles Leclerc also close in third place, leaving three different cars at the front. In the second row of the grid will be Andrea Kimi Antonelli, fourth.
Although they are not expected to lose position, the Mercedes are under investigation for having left the garage and having taken their places at the end of the pitlane even before the time at which the action would resume was announced during the red flag of Q2 due to Esteban Ocon’s accident.
This time Max Verstappen could not work the miracle, and in fact the Dutchman could only finish seventh, just behind Norris.
In conditions totally different to those that allowed them to shine in the tests two months ago, Carlos Sainz saved Williams’ honor, reaching Q3 and qualifying 8th, while in the other British car, Alex Albon stayed in the first round.
After a complicated debut in Japan, and being second to last in free practice 3 this very afternoon, Yuki Tsunoda finally found the key and made it into Q3, although there he could not beat his time from the previous round and will start 10th, in the points zone. Just ahead of him and behind Sainz was Lewis Hamilton, again far behind his Ferrari team-mate.
Things looked so bad for Aston Martin that Fernando Alonso used three sets of new soft tires in Q1.
It helped him get through the first round, but in Q2 he could only manage 13th with used tires, beating only Ocon, who had not set a time, and Hulkenberg, who had his Q1 lap taken away from him even after Q2. The fears were well founded, because his teammate Lance Stroll qualified penultimate, 19th.
For the first time this season, Carlos Sainz made it through to Q3. In the first attempt, only Mercedes went out on new soft tires, as they, along with McLaren, were the only ones with two new sets. The great advantage the British had meant that they occupied the first two positions, until the papaya boys came out and Piastri took first position.