Formula 1 heads to Bahrain for the 4th race of the season, where we can expect plenty of overtaking. The first 3 races have seen 3 different winners in 3 varying conditions. The McLaren’s ran away with victories in the first 2 races, while Max Verstappen toppled them in the Suzuka GP.

Going into the 2025 Bahrain GP, the top 2 drivers in the championships are separated by a singular point. However, the drivers in the top four are not far behind, and it’s an intriguing prospect for viewers.

The first 3 races of the season have had their share of ups and downs. The Bahrain International Circuit is one of the well-known tracks for the teams, and they’d not expect many drastic changes in it. Let’s see you can expect this weekend in Bahrain.

Key Storylines for the 2025 Bahrain GP

1.    Lewis Hamilton’s Faulty Car Part

Charles Leclerc finished a respectable 4th position in the Japanese Grand Prix. However, the car was way off the pace, and Lewis Hamilton was quite slow in the other car. After the race, Hamilton claimed that the car had a faulty part in the first three races. As per the 7-time world champion, there were some issues with the floor that caused him to lose time. Ferrari is yet to give a verdict, but it is sometimes common for the Brit to complain when things are not going the way he wants it.

2.    FIA Chaos Continues in the Backdrop

The meltdown in the FIA continues with the Deputy President for Sport, Robert Reid, resigning from his role. He cited that there was a breakdown in governance standards after a series of changes imposed by President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Nearly all of motorsport that comes under the echelon of FIA are not happy with how things are being run and the new rules imposes. With Reid resigning from the position, the outrage will only increase.

Predictions for the 2025 Bahrain GP

Now let me get to my predictions for this weekend:

1.    Pole Position for the Race: Lando Norris

Lando Norris has qualified 2nd in the past 2 races after claiming pole in the inaugural race of the season. After the disappointments in the past 2 races the championship leader will pull out the best lap and claim pole for the race. In testing, McLaren showed excellent pace in Bahrain, and will hope to replicate it this weekend.

2.    Race Winner: Oscar Piastri

In the first 3 races, the pole sitter went on to win the race. However, you’d expect it to change somewhere in the season, and why not in Bahrain? Oscar Piastri has looked the faster McLaren in the race, and it won’t be an understatement that he can win the Bahrain GP. Things looked a lot close in the Japanese GP, but if you go by testing results, you can see the Papaya outfit to win the race by a massive margin.

3.    Biggest Surprise: Yuki Tsunoda

After a poor start on his Red Bull debut, Yuki Tsunoda will bounce back this weekend. Yuki showed a lot of potential in the first session, which is something we haven’t seen from the past two drivers. The Bahrain circuit being a well-known track will help the Japanese driver adapt to the Red Bull car.

4.    Biggest Flop: Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has had a decent start to his life at Ferrari. However, with all the issues that Ferrari has had this season and his latest outburst, he’ll most likely have his head turned. To top it off, Charles Leclerc has found his rhythm in the Ferrari, so it’ll be added pressure on the Briton.

2025 Bahrain GP Timings IST