Perfect Oscar Piastri puts McLaren in driving seat with F1 Bahrain GP win

SAKHIR – Oscar Piastri is putting the party on hold, even as he wrapped up a dream weekend in Bahrain to leave McLaren with their two drivers atop the Formula One drivers’ standings.

The Australian bossed practice and qualifying, and then produced a controlled drive under floodlights in Sakhir to follow up his success in China in March.

Teammate Lando Norris was hard on himself after a qualifying session that left him starting in sixth.

A brilliant start in the main race on April 13 took him to third, and despite a five-second penalty for mispositioning his car on the grid, he secured a valiant third, with only George Russell’s Mercedes denying a famous McLaren 1-2.

The result widened McLaren’s lead in the constructors’ championship over Mercedes to 58 points. In the drivers’ title race, Norris leads Piastri by just three points.

Max Verstappen slipped to third, a further five points away. Red Bull left Bahrain looking for answers on their problematic car after Verstappen had to settle for sixth, behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

McLaren, meanwhile, face a welcome but nonetheless potentially complex question of how to deal with two talented teammates battling for the same prize. Team principal Andrea Stella’s man-management skills could be tested to the full over the next 20 races.

For now, the papaya team owned by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund are enjoying the moment, not that Piastri plans to overindulge in the celebrations.

“I’m sure there’s going to be a hell of a party! But I’m not going to get involved, because I’ve got to race again next week (in Saudi Arabia),” he said after McLaren finally clicked in the Gulf kingdom at their 21st attempt.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve done this weekend and proud to do it here in Bahrain as well. It’s obviously a very important race for us, given our ownership.

“It’s never been a track that’s been kind to us, so it’s great to finally get the first win for the team in Bahrain.”

Norris was more measured.

“An up and down race today,” he said. “Some frustrating mistakes but still plenty of positives to take away with a strong points finish for the team in Bahrain.

“It was a really good race throughout, everyone pushing hard, right on the limit, which is always fun to be part of.

“Congratulations to Oscar and the whole team for today’s result. I’ll now keep my head down and work hard as we head to Saudi Arabia next weekend.”

Stella praised the backing the team had received from Bahrain – through good times and bad.

“When we were building the team and not achieving the results we are seeing now, they were patient and gave us the resources we needed to set out on our current trajectory,” he said.

“Oscar drove pretty much the perfect weekend. He was very solid in each session, every situation, and took the car to a deserved victory.

“Lando put in a very strong performance and ensured we get to celebrate a double podium finish, which is important for both championships.”

Four-time world champion Verstappen was unable to replicate his win in Japan.

But there were positives for teammate Yuki Tsunoda – in only his second run-out for Red Bull after replacing Liam Lawson in Suzuka the previous weekend – who picked up his first points for his new team in ninth.

However, team principal Christian Horner did not cherry-coat the performance. “Look, it was a bad weekend for the team, nothing went our way from the start of the race,” he said.

“We didn’t get off the line cleanly, and pit stops didn’t work well for us today.

“But I thought actually Yuki has had a very solid weekend, he qualified in the top 10, finished in the points today, he drove pretty well.” AFP, REUTERS