Every F1 driver was invited to ‘special’ private event after the Bahrain Grand Prix, and why there will be no photo evidence

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The Bahrain Grand Prix provided fans with another opportunity to assess the pecking order in the Formula 1 paddock this season, with McLaren once again coming out on top.

It seems as though the longer the campaign goes on, the more likely Max Verstappen’s victory in Japan will be seen as an outlier from one of the greatest drivers ever to grace the sport.

The other three Grand Prix have been won by McLaren, and Oscar Piastri has now narrowed the gap to Lando Norris to just three points.

The Bahrain Grand Prix saw every team return to the venue of pre-season testing, but the conditions were completely different.

February’s freezing cold temperatures and brief showers were swapped for scorching heat that made practice sessions during the daytime far from helpful.

However, Piastri dominated the event from start to finish, while Norris complained about his inability to drive his car.

They were both joined on the podium by Mercedes star George Russell despite his technical issues during the race.

Mercedes are considering extending Russell’s contract as a result of his strong start to 2025, but before he can celebrate putting pen to paper, he and all of his fellow drivers were invited to a private event by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton was granted a ‘special’ privilege no other F1 driver received in Bahrain Grand Prix paddock

Every F1 driver invited to ‘special’ event after the Bahrain Grand Prix

Photographer and paddock insider Kym Illman was speaking on his YouTube channel about events in Bahrain, and what happened after the chequered flag fell.

Illman explained: “Oscar Piastri was talking to Ted Kravitz for a little bit, and after that, the McLaren drivers, along with all of the F1 drivers, were invited to a special party at the Prince’s palace, which is a mere eight-minute drive from the track.

“It’s tradition now for all of the drivers to go back to the palace for the party.

“Now, have you seen any pictures online from that party from the drivers? Well, the answer is no, and I can tell you why.

“It’s because when you enter a party at the Prince’s palace, your phones are taken off you, and they’re stored.

“You can’t use them, you can’t photograph, you can tell people what happened, but there’ll be no pictorial or video evidence of the night.

“And it wasn’t just for McLaren drivers, it was all the drivers, plus team principals, and I believe girlfriends were also allowed in.”

READ MORE: Which F1 drivers do well at the Bahrain Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso successful in Sakhir

Bahrain celebrate McLaren’s victory after Oscar Piastri dominates

Although the British national anthem played on the podium after Piastri’s victory, Bahrain would have been hoping one of the two papaya cars would be standing on the top step of the rostrum.

Last year, Bahrain’s sovereign fund bought the McLaren Group, which owned a majority share in the Formula 1 team.

Last season, Bahrain celebrated McLaren’s constructors’ championship victory by turning the country orange and flying many of their staff to the country to celebrate from Abu Dhabi.

On Sunday, Bahrain once again honoured McLaren after Piastri’s win by changing the name of the mobile network in the country.

Their commitment to F1 is remarkable, and it seems as though they’ll be playing a big part in the sport for years to come.

Pre-season testing will be expanded next year due to the changing regulations, but it’s fair to say that Bahrain will once again be playing a big part in how Formula 1 gets ready for another ground-breaking campaign.