Oscar Piastri storms to Bahrain pole as McLaren's momentum builds
Oscar Piastri delivered a masterclass under the Sakhir lights, clinching his second career pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver showcased his prowess by topping Q2 and Q3, culminating in a blistering final lap that left competitors trailing.
George Russell looked set to lead a Mercedes front-row lockout in the dying minutes, and with rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli delivering a stunning lap of his own, it briefly looked like the Silver Arrows were about to stamp their authority on qualifying.
But Piastri had other plans. The McLaren driver delivered a near-flawless final sector to snatch pole at the death, with Russell settling for P2 and Antonelli narrowly missing out on the top three, finishing fourth.
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari split the two Silver Arrows to take third.
Pierre Gasly quietly slotted into fifth for Alpine, marking one of his strongest Saturdays in Alpine.
Championship leaders struggle
Championship leader Lando Norris had a disappointing end to his day, qualifying sixth.
Max Verstappen, grappling with brake issues, managed only seventh, highlighting Red Bull's ongoing reliability concerns.
Rounding out the top ten were Carlos Sainz in P8, Lewis Hamilton in P9, and Yuki Tsunoda in P10.
As the grid prepares for Sunday's race, all eyes will be on Piastri to convert his pole into victory - an outcome that could mark a significant shift in the championship narrative.
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