Oscar Piastri dominated the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, marking a fitting end to his milestone weekend in Formula 1 – the Australian driver was celebrating his fiftieth Grand Prix in Sakhir. While Piastri’s performance was near perfection, his teammate Lando Norris made several blunders. The British driver managed to improve his disappointing sixth-place start, but a one-two finish was not to be. Here’s what the international media had to say about the race in Bahrain.
French sports newspaper L’Équipe was quick to criticize Lando Norris for his performance over the weekend. “Was it better to witness the victory of a future world champion, or the embarrassing behavior of someone who dreams of winning the title?” the editor questioned, referring to the fact that Piastri’s final lap was not broadcast. Instead, the cameras followed Lando Norris, who failed to overtake George Russell (P2). “It was better to broadcast that show – even if it was messy, very messy, thanks to Norris – rather than the sad and boring demonstration by Piastri, in which only icy perfection shone through.”
In recent years, foreign media often praised Max Verstappen after a race, but following the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Dutch driver is not the main focus. Even in Germany, most attention is directed towards the internal battle at McLaren. “The duel between the two McLaren drivers has officially begun,” headlined BILD. The crisis at Red Bull is barely mentioned. “Max Verstappen clicks on his title rival,” it is still written. The reigning world champion was the first to report that Norris was incorrectly positioned in his starting box. The British driver was later penalized with a five-second time penalty.”
‘Ferrari versus the rest’
The Italians from La Gazzetta dello Sport were, of course, also watching the two Ferraris, who were able to join the battle for the podium in Bahrain. “It’s Ferrari against the rest,” the pink sports newspaper states. “Charles Leclerc was allowed to start from the first row. After a season start he wants to forget quickly, he finally had something to celebrate. However, he also realizes that the McLarens are untouchable here in Bahrain. On the other side of the garage, Lewis Hamilton is struggling to find the right direction – something Leclerc seems to be managing lately.”
“Oscar Piastri took pole and seemed to have no competition,” the report continues. “The first starting position turns out to be of great value in the championship battle. For teammate Lando Norris, it was a disappointing race. He seems to be less and less amused by the competitors’ comments about the strong McLaren car – while his teammate continues the growth from last year…”
The battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri also dominates in the British Daily Mail. The editor on duty openly wonders if Norris is already succumbing to the pressure. As an example, he mentions the mistake at the start of the race. “That mistake underscored the concerns that were also present last year when he missed the decisive moments to knock out Max Verstappen and thus could have won the title.” The current world champion also receives little attention from the Brits. “Elsewhere, a terrible day for Verstappen; there is plenty of work to do at Red Bull. He may feel the pressure to get everything out of his inferior machine, but he remains tough.”
