Piastri leads Norris as McLaren set pace in third F1 practice for Bahrain GP 2025 at BIC

Piastri leads Norris as McLaren set pace in third F1 practice for Bahrain GP 2025 at BIC

• Oscar Piastri tops times for second straight practice session, goes 0.668s quicker than Lando Norris
• Tsolov outlasts F3 field to claim sprint race victory for Campos Racing
• De Haan secures double pole for Porsche Carrera Cup ME races
• Large crowd enjoys second day of F1 fan forum at BIC vending area
• Axwell set for stellar post-race concert celebrations Sunday night
• BIC’s special online charity auction for RHF ends Sunday

The action is heating up today at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir as the second day of racing in the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 is underway.

Headlining the early sessions at ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ were F1 constructors’ world champions McLaren, who set the pace in the third F1 practice held this afternoon.

Oscar Piastri was the leading man, topping the times for the second straight practice session. He clocked a fastest lap of 1:31.646.

McLaren teammate and championship leader Lando Norris followed in second place 0.668 seconds behind, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari completed the top three after running 0.834s off Piastri’s mark.

Mercedes duo George Russell (+1.181s) and Kimi Antonelli (+1.270s) completed the top five, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (+1.328s) was sixth, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar (+1.377s) seventh, and four-time drivers’ world champion Max Verstappen (+1.381s) of Red Bull Racing eighth. Carlos Sainz (+1.446s) of Williams and Lewis Hamilton (+1.465s) of Ferrari were also in the top 10.

Rounding out the classification were Esteban Ocon (+1.594s) of Haas, Jack Doohan (+1.701s) of Alpine, Liam Lawson (+1.724s) of Racing Bulls, Fernando Alonso (+1.902s) of Aston Martin, Alexander Albon (+2.107s) of Williams, Oliver Bearman (+2.689s) of Haas, Lance Stroll (+2.717s) of Aston Martin, Gabriel Bortoleto (+2.872s) and Nico Hulkenberg (+2.990s), both of Kick Sauber, and Yuki Tsunoda (+3.319s) for Red Bull Racing.

The stage is now set for qualifying later this evening starting at 7pm, which will determine the starting grid for Sunday’s main event, the 57-lap grand prix.

This year’s F1 weekend marks the fourth round of the 2025 FIA F1 World Championship. It is celebrating the 75th anniversary of both F1 and Bahrain’s national carrier and grand prix title sponsor Gulf Air.

It will be the first night race of the season, taking place under BIC’s bright, state-of-the-art floodlights and showcasing to the world that “The Desert Never Sleeps”.

All those attending will be able to enjoy a wide array of off-track entertainment Sunday for the whole family. These include globally renowned act Circus Cortex, the fan-favourite Ferris Wheel, a Kids Race Fest featuring popular cartoon characters, an F1 Fanzone, roaming performers, and so much more spectacular.

This year’s F1 event is set to be another record-breaking occasion for the Kingdom of Bahrain and BIC. All grandstand tickets to the race weekend are completely sold out, including seats to the Main, Turn 1, Beyon, University, and Victory grandstands.

Fans who have missed out on these can still get tickets to BIC’s last remaining hospitality option, The Dome by F1 Experiences, but there is only very limited availability heading into race day on Sunday. This is a unique way to enjoy the F1 weekend, with plenty of exclusive offerings throughout the three days.

BIC’s other hospitality options, including the Paddock Club, Corporate Lounges, and Champions Club, are all already completely sold out, so fans interested in being a part of the F1 spectacle must act fast to secure their passes to The Dome by F1 Experiences.

This option features a dedicated grandstand located along the Main Straight with comfortable, seat-back style seating. Fans can enjoy exceptional views of the Podium and pit entry, and also see the cars as they navigate the final turn before accelerating down the track. The package also includes complimentary lunch dishes, lite bites, refreshments and live performances by DJs, roaming entertainers and more between track sessions.

For more information on The Dome by F1 Experiences or to make a booking, call +973-17451086.

Tsolov outlasts field to claim F3 sprint race win

Nikola Tsolov of Campos Racing took the chequered today in the sprint race of the FIA Formula 3 Championship, being held in support of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.

Tsolov secured his win after 19 laps in a total time of 39:51.263. He finished 0.580 seconds ahead of runner-up Freddie Slater of AIX Racing, while Tuukka Taponen of ART Grand Prix joined them on the podium in third place 1.222s back.

The stage is now set for the weekend’s F3 feature race, taking place Sunday at 12.55pm, Bahrain time. It will be held over 22 laps, and it will have Trident driver Rafael Camara on pole.

De Haan secures double pole for PCCME

Robert De Haan captured double pole today for this weekend’s races in the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East, being held in support of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 at BIC.

De Haan continued his fine form this weekend and clocked a fastest lap of 2:03.990 during qualifying to take the leading grid spot for the first race later tonight.

His second-best lap of 2:04.106 then earned him pole for race two on Sunday.

Janne Stiak will start alongside him on row one for the first race after setting a qualifying time of 2:04.364 today.

De Haan is also the leading starter in the Pro class for both races. Khaled Alahmadi is in front in the ProAm category for race one, and Bankcy will be starting first amongst the Masters participants. For race two, Saud Al Saud will be on pole in the ProAm and Bankcy again in the Masters.