Oscar Piastri secured a remarkable victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, maintaining his composure despite unexpected challenges during the race.
A collision involving Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz triggered a safety car period that momentarily erased Piastri’s substantial lead. The Australian driver acknowledged the disruption but remained optimistic about his chances of winning.
“I would have preferred to avoid the safety car, certainly,” Piastri commented, “but I felt confident throughout. Our strategy with the medium tires was advantageous, and I knew Lando and I were well-positioned.” He added, “You just try to execute a good restart. I wasn’t going to relinquish that lead.”
Reflecting on his win, Piastri expressed his satisfaction:
“It’s fantastic to achieve this result here in Bahrain. The entire weekend has been exceptional, from yesterday’s qualifying session to successfully concluding the race today. I can’t thank the team enough for providing such a competitive car – it’s truly impressive out there.”
He continued, “This victory is particularly meaningful considering our history with this track; Bahrain hasn’t always been kind to us. It feels especially good to secure our first win here and I am immensely proud of what we accomplished.”
While Piastri celebrated a triumphant day, teammate Lando Norris expressed disappointment after struggling to find his rhythm.
“I didn’t anticipate being that far back,” Norris admitted. “It was a difficult race; I made too many errors attempting overtakes and had an unfavorable start position. It was just messy overall. I’m disappointed we couldn’t achieve a one-two finish for McLaren – it would have been wonderful to bring home.”
George Russell of Mercedes, finishing in second place, offered gracious congratulations to Piastri.
Russell detailed a technical issue he encountered during the race:
- “We experienced a brake-by-wire failure.”
- “The pedal felt erratic – sometimes long, sometimes short – and I wasn’t sure what was happening.”
- “The steering wheel also malfunctioned, making it a challenging battle to keep Lando behind me.”
He concluded, “Oscar was truly in another class today. Congratulations to him and McLaren! For us, securing three podiums in four races across different circuits is encouraging and provides a solid foundation for the future.”
