In a thrilling turn of events at the Bahrain International Circuit, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri surged to the top of the timing charts during the final practice session of the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. The young Australian driver lit up the Sakhir track with a sensational lap of 1:29.413, firmly establishing McLaren as the team to beat heading into qualifying.
While the early sessions hinted at a Red Bull resurgence and Ferrari consistency, FP3 became a stage for McLaren’s raw pace and strategic setup execution. Piastri, who has gradually emerged as a formidable presence in the F1 grid, delivered an impeccable performance that overshadowed even his teammate Lando Norris and the two Red Bull drivers.
McLaren’s Technical Upgrades Pay Off in Full at Sakhir
McLaren’s engineers arrived in Bahrain with a raft of aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades focused on front-end grip and rear stability. The MCL39’s updated floor, front wing endplates, and cooling vents combined flawlessly to optimize straight-line speed while maintaining cornering efficiency.
In FP3, the results were evident. Piastri’s car showed phenomenal balance through the high-speed corners of Turns 11 and 12, while demonstrating blistering traction exiting Turn 14 into the final DRS zone. Norris, although slightly behind his teammate, also looked competitive, finishing the session in P4 with a time of 1:29.791.
Red Bull Reacts as Verstappen and Perez Play Catch-Up
Red Bull, surprisingly off pace in FP3, were left scratching their heads. Max Verstappen, pushing hard in the final 10 minutes, could only manage P3, 0.247s off Piastri’s time. The Dutchman struggled with front-end grip and oversteer in sector two, indicating possible setup issues that will need quick resolution ahead of qualifying.
Sergio Perez, meanwhile, encountered traffic on his flying lap attempts and ended the session down in P7. The Mexican’s radio complaints highlighted braking instability into Turn 8, a consistent thorn for Red Bull throughout the practice runs.
Ferrari Shows Consistency but Lacks Peak One-Lap Pace
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz delivered smooth, clean runs for Ferrari, with Leclerc taking P2 on the timesheets, just 0.076s behind Piastri. The SF-24 looked composed and manageable but lacked the extra burst of acceleration in sectors one and three.
Sainz, despite a strong initial phase, failed to hook up the final sector, ending P5. Ferrari’s long-run data, however, hints at promising race pace, giving them hope of challenging for the podium on Sunday.
Mercedes Struggles Continue as Hamilton and Russell Lag Behind
Despite showing signs of improvement in FP2, Mercedes fell back into midfield obscurity in FP3. Lewis Hamilton ended P8, voicing concerns about rear-end instability during medium-speed corners. George Russell, P10, ran an alternate tyre program but remained visibly frustrated with the car’s behavior, especially under braking.
The W15’s issues with tyre warm-up and rear-end grip remain unresolved, casting doubt over their ability to challenge the front-runners.
Alpine and Aston Martin Show Midfield Potential
Esteban Ocon provided a boost to Alpine’s hopes with a solid P6 finish, highlighting the team’s improved low-fuel performance. Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, although P9, showed promise on heavier fuel loads, with long-run simulations indicating potential for points.
Lance Stroll ended just outside the top 10 but reported “positive balance changes” that could aid in qualifying.
Final FP3 Classification
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:29.413 | — |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:29.489 | +0.076s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:29.660 | +0.247s |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:29.791 | +0.378s |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:29.900 | +0.487s |
| 6 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:30.010 | +0.597s |
| 7 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1:30.142 | +0.729s |
| 8 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:30.214 | +0.801s |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:30.268 | +0.855s |
| 10 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:30.352 | +0.939s |
Tyre Strategy Insights for Qualifying
Soft compound tyres dominated the session, but degradation concerns may influence Q2 strategies. Pirelli estimates that softs will offer peak performance for two flying laps before tapering off significantly. McLaren appeared to extract the most value on their first flyer, while Ferrari and Red Bull leaned into longer cool-down lap strategies before attacking again.
Expect split strategies in qualifying, with potential surprise eliminations in Q2 as teams balance short-term gains against tyre preservation for the race.
Weather Conditions and Track Evolution
With track temperatures peaking at 42°C and ambient at 29°C, the desert circuit offered high grip levels throughout the session. The wind, however, shifted during the final 15 minutes, causing several drivers to struggle in Turns 5 and 10. The evolving conditions could play a crucial role in the timing of qualifying runs.
Looking Ahead to Qualifying
Oscar Piastri’s performance has firmly thrown down the gauntlet, disrupting the Red Bull–Ferrari rhythm and injecting renewed excitement into the 2025 title race narrative. If McLaren can replicate their FP3 form in qualifying, they could be poised for their first front-row lockout since 2012.
With Verstappen seeking redemption, Ferrari chasing their first pole of the season, and Mercedes scrambling for answers, the stage is set for an electrifying qualifying showdown under the Sakhir lights.
