Oscar Piastri Snatches Bahrain Grand Prix Pole Position

Oscar Piastri shocked the Formula 1 world by claiming pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix, while title favorites Max Verstappen and Lando Norris were left scrambling with disappointing grid positions.

It was expected to be a McLaren masterclass, and in some ways, it was—but not the way anyone predicted. With Mercedes briefly holding a front-row lockout, Piastri dug deep and delivered a clinical lap to grab pole. George Russell will join him up front, making it a big win for the Silver Arrows too.

But things unraveled for the championship’s usual suspects. Lando Norris could only manage P6, and Max Verstappen will start in P7 after a qualifying session riddled with issues. For two of the sport's biggest names, it was a rare off-day at the worst possible time.

The early drama began with Fernando Alonso setting the pace at 1:32.3, while Esteban Ocon was still stuck in the garage—suited up, but grounded. Over at Red Bull, Verstappen ran wide after a massive lock-up, triggering his now-infamous radio: “There’s something really wrong with the car.”

Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda had his first flyer deleted for a track limits violation at Turn 3. So while Red Bull was stumbling, the rest of the pack was hustling. Norris posted a strong 1:31.107, outpacing teammate Piastri by just under three-tenths. But it wouldn’t hold.

Alpine’s Jack Doohan popped up in P3, turning heads, while Verstappen had to burn through a second set of softs just to escape Q1—a move that could haunt him come Q3.

In the end, it was Piastri’s poise and precision that stole the spotlight. While some drivers were chasing their setups, McLaren’s young Aussie delivered when it mattered most.

With Norris and Verstappen starting from the third and fourth rows, Sunday’s race is set up to be anything but predictable. Can Piastri hold off the veterans? Will Red Bull recover from a rocky Saturday?

One thing’s for sure: this grid shake-up just cranked up the 2025 F1 drama to full throttle.

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