Lando Norris puts pressure on Oscar Piastri ahead of F1 Bahrain GP: “He’ll lap everyone”. Lando Norris believes Oscar Piastri will dominate the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.

F1 Bahrain, disappointing qualifying for Lando Norris
McLaren’s qualifying session in Bahrain had two sides. There’s the happy one – even if his face didn’t show it – of Oscar Piastri, and then there’s the disappointed one of Lando Norris, who once again crumbled under pressure.

The Briton clearly had the potential to secure a front-row spot and fight for pole position with his teammate, but a mistake in Turn 1 confined him to sixth place on the grid. From there, he’ll be able to climb up, helped by race pace that McLaren can capitalize on especially when overheating and tire degradation are factors – as expected in today’s race. In the meantime, however, Oscar Piastri might already be out of reach, and Norris knows it.

Lando Norris’s comments
Implicitly admitting that the McLaren is clearly the best car (something Lando Norris struggles to say when he’s ahead), the #4 driver claims that Oscar Piastri will lap the entire field in the Bahrain GP. Most likely an exaggeration, but one that conveys the sense of superiority the MCL39 has shown in the paddock in recent weeks.

“The podium is the best I can hope for; I don’t think I’ll win the race. I think Oscar will lap everyone – I’ll try to finish second,” said the Briton after qualifying in Sakhir. “But this is a track where you can overtake and play with strategy, unlike Suzuka, and with an undercut you can gain 3 or 4 seconds. Let’s see what we can do.” – the British driver concluded at the end of the qualifying session for the 2025 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.