McLaren’s Lando Norris expressed frustration after a chaotic third-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix, describing the race as “messy” while pledging to elevate his performance at the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Despite securing a podium, Norris was left ruing missed opportunities in a race dominated by teammate Oscar Piastri, who claimed a commanding victory.
Starting from sixth after a challenging qualifying, Norris made an electrifying start, surging to third in the opening corners. However, his race was marred by a five-second penalty for a false start, caused by lining up slightly ahead of his grid box. The penalty, served during his first pit stop, disrupted his strategy and forced him into a recovery drive.
“It was a tough race. I made too many mistakes with the overtakes and being out of position,” Norris said post-race. “I’m disappointed not to bring home a 1-2 for McLaren, because that would’ve been lovely at home.”
The 25-year-old Briton faced intense battles throughout the evening, notably with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. A prolonged duel with Leclerc saw Norris struggle to complete overtakes, with one attempt leading him to call himself a “muppet” over team radio. He eventually passed Leclerc on lap 52 with a bold move at Turn 4, but time ran out to challenge Mercedes’ George Russell for second, finishing just under a second behind.
Despite the setbacks, Norris found positives in the competitive racing. “It was good fun, good overtakes, everyone hard and on the limit, as it should be,” he noted. He also praised Piastri’s stellar performance and congratulated the McLaren team on their strong showing, which extended their constructors’ championship lead to 58 points over Mercedes.
Piastri’s win marked McLaren’s first triumph in Bahrain, a significant milestone for the team given their historical struggles at the Sakhir circuit. Norris, however, was candid about his own performance, admitting he fell short of expectations. “Oscar did a fantastic job, so congrats to him and the whole team. I’ll try to step it up for next weekend,” he vowed, looking ahead to Jeddah.
The Bahrain race tightened the drivers’ championship, with Norris holding a slim lead at 77 points, followed closely by Piastri at 74 and reigning champion Max Verstappen at 69. Verstappen endured a frustrating evening, finishing sixth after battling car issues, while Ferrari’s Leclerc and Hamilton rounded out the top five.
McLaren’s optimism for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, set for April 18-20, stems from their strong pace on high-speed circuits like Jeddah’s Corniche Circuit. Last year, Norris finished eighth in Saudi Arabia, behind Piastri in fourth, but the team’s 2025 car has shown promising form, raising hopes for a cleaner and more competitive outing.