Media sees change of guard: No Verstappen, but a new title favorite

For years, Max Verstappen filled the international sports pages the Monday after a Grand Prix. But not only in the race in Bahrain did the four-time world champion play a supporting role, also in the global media. Oscar Piastri is the new star in the firmament.

Bild

After Max Verstappen's dominance in Formula 1, the German Bild concludes that there is 'a new World Championship favorite.' Not Verstappen, not Lando Norris, but Oscar Piastri - the McLaren driver who convincingly took victory in Bahrain. 'The duel between the two McLaren drivers has officially started,' wrote the newspaper. Bild barely pays attention to the crisis at Red Bull Racing. However, Max Verstappen is even mentioned in the headline: 'Max Verstappen snitches on his title rival,' referring to the Dutchman reporting Norris started outside his gridbox.

Het Laatste Nieuws

Het Laatste Nieuws from Belgium sees a comparison with 1988, the year McLaren was virtually unbeatable. One Grand Prix was not won back then, and according to the newspaper, the duo Piastri and Norris could be heading the same way. A comparison is also made with former drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, where the latter was seen as the favorite with his experience. However, it was the younger Senna who was superior. Like Norris is now the favorite, will Piastri take the prize?

'At the end of last season, the conviction in the paddock was: 'Norris for world champion' in '25. The observers who made the caveat that F1 is also a 'mental game,' and that Piastri might be stronger in that area were in the minority. [He's] always determined. Sober. Never euphoric - also not on the podium in Bahrain. More 'killer' on the track than his teammate.'

Gazzetta dello Sport

Not surprisingly, Piastri receives the highest score from Gazzetta (an 8), while teammate Norris has to settle for a below passing score (5.5). 'He always finds a way to complicate his [own] life. He has a wrong starting position (penalty), he does it wrong against Hamilton, he does it wrong against Leclerc. It's only the fourth GP, but beware of Piastri...'

The pink newspaper gives Max Verstappen a 7. 'His sixth place is worth it. Not for the points scored, but for the comeback. The Red Bull wasn't good, and moreover, the team had a delay with two mistakes during the pitstop. He was last, but finished sixth. Indomitable.'

Daily Mail

Also the British Daily Mail, pays a lot of attention to the battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The journalist of the medium openly asks whether Norris is starting to buckle under pressure again, even though it's early in the season.

The mistake at the start of the race, when Norris wasn't positioned correctly is cited as an example. "The error underlined concerns echoing in minds from last year, when he blinked at the key moments when he might have knocked Max Verstappen clean out, and so won the title."

Of Verstappen the journal notes his stoicism: "Elsewhere, a terrible day for Verstappen, finishing sixth. Plenty of work to do at Red Bull. He may feel the pressure of trying to wring everything out of his inferior machinery, but, whatever else he may be, he is as hard as nails."