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Lando Norris managed to rescue a chaotic weekend by clinching third place in Bahrain, following a false start and a highly disappointing qualifying performance.
The British racer, 25, received a substantial five-second penalty for a clear infraction at the start of the race, which Max Verstappen alerted the officials about.
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Meanwhile, his teammate, Oscar Piastri, showcased a phenomenal performance to secure victory, leaving George Russell trailing by more than 12 seconds. Norris attempted to overtake Russell but narrowly fell short.
Verstappen capitalized on Norris’s false start, as replays revealed the Dutchman, who started seventh, communicating over the team radio: “Lando is over his grid box.”
Norris had a rocky start to the weekend, finishing sixth in qualifying but immediately moved into third at the race’s beginning, distancing himself from Charles Leclerc in fourth while Piastri built a solid lead in first.
Though his momentum was briefly halted by the stewards’ decision regarding his error, Norris persevered and managed to secure a spot on the podium.
The Ferraris also performed well, with Leclerc finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton in fifth.
On lap 11, both Norris and Verstappen pitted, but frustrations grew for Verstappen as the red light on Red Bull’s pit gantry remained on after their tire change, despite the pit lane being clear.
Despite his penalty, Norris maintained a strong pace, remaining in third place on lap 18.
Teenage prodigy Kimi Antonelli passed the four-time world champion Verstappen on lap 20, leaving the Dutchman without a response.
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Hamilton made his move soon after, overtaking Jack Doohan and then Verstappen in a remarkable double pass on lap 22.
Frustrated, Verstappen expressed his discontent over the team radio, saying: “I can’t even brake anymore, it’s just ridiculous.”
Sun F1 reporter Isabelle Barker tries Lewis Hamilton’s favorite spaghetti cooked by a three-Michelin-star chef at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Ferraris finally found their rhythm, with Leclerc passing Norris for third while Hamilton maneuvered past Antonelli for fifth.
In a difficult pit stop for Verstappen, he faced yet another setback after a slow change to hard tires left him stuck for an agonizing 6.2 seconds, resuming in 19th position.
On lap 32, a safety car was deployed due to debris caused by an incident involving Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz at turn three, prompting all top five drivers to pit.
F1 2025
The new Formula One season has kicked off with thrilling action, showcasing plenty of drama in the early stages.
This season has seen a major change, with Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes for Ferrari, while the McLaren duo, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, are pushing to challenge Max Verstappen’s recent dominance.
The Red Bull ace is targeting an incredible fifth consecutive world title.
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Hamilton displayed his skill with a brilliant overtaking move on Norris once the safety car had cleared.
Norris initially surged ahead but went off track, which forced him to give up the position; however, he successfully reclaimed it from the seven-time champion a few laps later.
Verstappen made significant progress, regaining seventh place—his starting position—with 17 laps to go.
The fight for the last podium position intensified as Norris closed in on Leclerc in third.
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The McLaren driver came close to overtaking with eight laps remaining, but Leclerc held his ground just in time; nevertheless, Norris eventually outmaneuvered him.
Simultaneously, Russell found himself in a tough spot as he dealt with dashboard issues after “accidentally opening DRS,” while Norris shadowed him closely.
Norris’s final chance emerged as he battled Russell wheel-to-wheel on the last lap, but the Mercedes driver just managed to hold onto his position.
Norris’s lead in the championship standings has narrowed to just three points ahead of his teammate, while Verstappen’s gap has grown to eight points, with Russell trailing by 14 points.
