Sun Apr 13 15:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Piastri on Pole, Poised to Become First Australian F1 Championship Leader in 15 Years
**Manama, Bahrain** – Oscar Piastri will start the Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position, giving him a shot at becoming the first Australian to lead the Formula 1 World Championship since Mark Webber in 2010. The McLaren driver secured pole in a stunning qualifying session, leaving teammate Lando Norris a disappointing sixth.
Piastri will share the front row with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. A win for Piastri, combined with a fourth-place finish or lower for Norris, would see the young Australian ascend to the top of the championship standings.
The grid saw some unexpected changes following a one-place grid penalty for Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for a qualifying rules infringement. This bumped Max Verstappen up to seventh, behind Norris. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton will start ninth for Ferrari after a subpar qualifying performance.
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First Piper 