Russell Tops Final Day as Pre-Season Testing Concludes in Bahrain

Event: 2025 Pre-Season Testing Day 3 of 3
Track: Bahrain International Circuit

Weather: dry  16°C
Tarmac: dry  22°C
Humidity :42%
Wind : 2.3 m/s N
Pressure: 1.017 bar

The curtain has come down on the 2025 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, with teams wrapping up their final preparations before heading to Melbourne for the season opener. The third and final day delivered plenty of action, with George Russell ultimately setting the fastest time under the lights, edging out Max Verstappen and Alex Albon in an intriguing showdown. Here’s how the day unfolded.

Russell Seals the Top Spot in Twilight Drama

As the sun set over the Bahrain International Circuit, Mercedes’ George Russell bolted to the top of the timing sheets with a blistering 1m 29.545s lap on the C3 compound. He narrowly pipped reigning champion Max Verstappen by just 0.021s, with Alex Albon’s Williams following closely behind at 0.105s off the benchmark.

Mercedes appeared to complete their programme without major issues, marking a positive conclusion to a productive three days. With reliability looking solid and both drivers showing competitive pace, the Silver Arrows may well be in the mix when racing begins in Australia.

Ferrari’s Morning Surge with Leclerc

The morning session belonged to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who set the pace with a 1m 30.811s lap, holding off Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli by 0.077s. Leclerc’s time underlined Ferrari’s strong short-run pace, though reliability concerns surfaced when Lewis Hamilton’s afternoon session was cut short after just 47 laps, with the team opting to start disassembling his SF-25 early in preparation for Melbourne.

Verstappen’s Testing Conundrum

Despite setting the second-fastest time of the day, Verstappen’s session wasn’t without its challenges. Red Bull continued to tweak their RB21, with Verstappen seen sporting flow-vis paint in the latter part of the day. A surprising moment came when the Dutchman mistakenly pulled towards the McLaren pit box before correcting himself—perhaps an indication of the shift in the pecking order since Red Bull’s championship dominance.

With Red Bull notching up fewer laps than some rivals—Verstappen completed 65 to Albon’s 123—their long-run data remains a slight unknown. Nevertheless, their outright pace still suggests they will be in contention at the sharp end when the real racing begins.

McLaren’s Promising Signs and Piastri’s Challenge

Oscar Piastri delivered a strong showing for McLaren, logging an impressive 81 laps and leaping to third in the standings at one point. His pace, however, was tempered by an off-track moment at the final corner as he pushed the limits of the MCL38. The Australian will be eager to carry his form into his home race in Melbourne, where the intra-team battle with Lando Norris could be one of the season’s most intriguing storylines.

Williams Impresses with Albon’s Marathon Effort

Alex Albon was one of the stars of the final day, racking up 123 laps—one of the highest totals of the day. The Thai driver even briefly topped the timesheets on soft tyres before Russell and Verstappen knocked him down to third. Williams' reliability looks solid, and with their strong showing, they could be dark horses in the upper midfield battle this season.

Alonso and Stroll’s Seat Swap Drama

Aston Martin had a disrupted day after Lance Stroll felt unwell, prompting Fernando Alonso to step in for the morning session. However, in a late twist, Stroll recovered enough to reclaim the car in the afternoon, only for the team to reverse the swap once again, sending Alonso back out under the lights. Despite the musical chairs, Aston Martin managed to gather valuable data, though their outright pace remains a question mark heading into the first race.

Haas and Kick Sauber Struggle for Mileage

It was a tougher day for Haas and Kick Sauber, with both teams encountering reliability woes. Haas suffered early when Oliver Bearman’s engine cover detached on track, costing the rookie valuable track time. Meanwhile, Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto spent significant time in the garage with an unspecified technical issue, putting the team on the back foot heading into the season opener.

What Have We Learned?

While testing times should always be taken with a pinch of salt, some early trends have emerged:

• Four teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren—appear poised to fight for wins.
• Williams looks like an upper-midfield contender, with strong reliability and improved pace.
• Aston Martin’s true competitiveness remains unclear after a disrupted final day.
• Haas and Kick Sauber may be in for a challenging start to the season.

With two weeks to go until lights out in Melbourne, all eyes will now be on who can fine-tune their package best before the serious racing begins. One thing is certain: the 2025 Formula 1 season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent history.

The fastest lap time of last year's race was 1:29.179 min set during Q3 qualifying for the Grand Prix.

Quickest Lap Times 3rd Day Testing

Quickest Lap Times Pre-Season Testing

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