Overview

• Oscar Piastri claimed pole position for McLaren at the Bahrain Grand Prix, narrowly beating George Russell of Mercedes by 0.168 seconds.
• Championship leader Lando Norris qualified in sixth place, a disappointing result for the McLaren driver given the team's strong performance overall.
• Pierre Gasly delivered an unexpected fifth-place finish for Alpine, marking a standout result for the team after a challenging season start.
• Dry track conditions and significant tire degradation at the technical Sakhir circuit influenced qualifying performances, favoring McLaren's setup.
• The Bahrain GP marks the fourth race of the season, with the grid set for a competitive battle under the floodlights on Sunday evening.