CONFIRMATIONS, QUESTIONS, AND A FEW UNEXPECTED SIGNS

The weekend in Bahrain mostly aligned with expectations, but it wasn’t without its share of surprises. McLaren proved once again that it’s a solid, competitive team—even on a track that historically hasn’t suited them well. A strong show of technical maturity, even if the MCL39 still proves to be a handful over a single lap.

Mercedes, especially through Russell, reaffirmed its status as the main contender behind the front-runners. Despite a bit of bad luck and a few mistakes from Kimi Antonelli, the team maintained a good overall level of performance. Antonelli, while not flawless, continues to show impressive potential and an enviable growth trajectory.

Ferrari, on the other hand, remains something of a puzzle. Bahrain, usually a friendly venue for the Scuderia even in tougher years, didn’t deliver the hoped-for results. Better than Suzuka, sure—but still far from what was expected. Finishing fourth and fifth isn’t enough to call it real progress, especially on a track where more could have been achieved. Some have described Leclerc’s performance as miraculous, but frankly, neither Saturday nor Sunday showed anything out of the ordinary. If that’s a miracle, then we should be calling Russell’s weekends miraculous too.

Hamilton struggled, as anticipated, given his historical difficulties at this circuit compared to Leclerc. That said, he managed the race with experience, even if the pace wasn’t particularly impressive.

As mentioned, McLaren remains a fascinating case. The car has the potential to dominate, but it’s extremely difficult to extract that performance consistently. In qualifying, both drivers struggle to nail the perfect lap, and while the car has more potential than most, Saturday mistakes often derail the entire weekend. Lando Norris, in particular, had a tough outing. His race recovery was solid, but starting that far back cost him dearly. It’s a known issue: McLaren is strong in clean air but really struggles in traffic, even on a track like Sakhir with generous DRS zones.

It’s also interesting how the conversation around Lando’s starts has gone quiet. Just a year ago, people were criticizing his lack of aggression off the line. Now? Silence. Maybe it’s because McLaren has finally sorted out its launch system. Norris, for his part, keeps holding himself publicly accountable. Yet in the F1 world, it seems only those who act overly confident or make bold claims are considered “strong.” Those who openly acknowledge their struggles are often overlooked. But perhaps it’s that very honesty that makes Lando such an intriguing figure. Many still underestimate him, but in my view, he remains one of the top contenders for the title.

As for surprises: hats off to Haas, who made the most of every opportunity with flawless strategy. Tsunoda also delivered a strong race, finishing ninth and surprisingly close to Verstappen—though the Dutchman didn’t exactly have the best race strategy. Solid weekend for Gasly as well, who showed unexpected pace throughout.

Next up: Jeddah. On paper, it’s a track that could suit Ferrari better. But these days, “favorable tracks” only mean a shot—at best—at fighting for a podium. Keep an eye on Verstappen though; it’s hard to imagine he’ll have another off weekend.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri