Afternoon Session Recap: Day 1 of 2025 F1 Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain
Event: 2025 Pre-Season Testing Day 1 of 3
Track: Bahrain International Circuit
Weather: dry 15°C
Tarmac: dry 23°C
Humidity :48%
Wind : 2.5 m/s NE
Pressure: 1020 bar
Feb.26 - The first day of pre-season testing for the 2025 Formula 1 season concluded under the floodlights of the Bahrain International Circuit, with teams and drivers making the most of the extended session to gather crucial data ahead of the new campaign. Here’s a breakdown of the key moments and takeaways from the afternoon session.
Norris Tops the Timesheets
Lando Norris ended the day on a high note for McLaren, setting the fastest time of the afternoon session with a 1:30.430s. This impressive lap, just over a second off last year’s pole position time, raised eyebrows and hinted at McLaren’s potential. Norris’s performance was particularly notable as he spent much of the session conducting data-gathering runs, including the application of flow-vis paint to analyze aerodynamic efficiency.
George Russell of Mercedes and Max Verstappen of Red Bull followed closely behind, rounding out the top three. While testing times are always taken with a grain of salt due to varying fuel loads and engine modes, the proximity of the lap times suggests a tightly packed field could be on the cards for 2025.
Extended Session Due to Red Flag
The afternoon session was briefly interrupted by a red flag caused by a power cut, which left several garages in darkness. Fortunately, there were no crashes or major incidents, and the session resumed after a short delay. To compensate for the lost time, the FIA extended the session by an hour, allowing teams to continue running until 20:00 local time.
This additional track time was invaluable for teams, especially those focusing on race simulations and long-run data. Charles Leclerc, for instance, completed 71 laps for Ferrari, while Pierre Gasly of Alpine also put in a solid shift with 72 laps to his name.
Flow-Vis and Aero Testing
McLaren’s use of flow-vis paint was one of the visual highlights of the session. The bright green paint, applied to Norris’s car, helps engineers understand how air flows over the car’s surfaces. The team was particularly cautious about shielding the car from prying eyes, with crew members lining up in the pit lane to prevent photos of the painted areas.
Other teams, including Williams with Carlos Sainz, also utilized flow-vis as they fine-tuned their aerodynamic packages. These tests are critical for ensuring the cars are optimized for the season opener in Australia.
Cool Conditions and Rain Threat
Uncharacteristically cool weather greeted the teams in Bahrain, with temperatures dropping to around 14°C. The overcast skies even brought a few light rain showers, though they were not enough to disrupt running. Only Haas and Aston Martin had brought intermediate tyres, but the track remained dry enough for slicks throughout the session.
The cooler conditions provided a unique challenge, as they are not representative of the usual heat teams face during the Bahrain Grand Prix. However, the floodlit evening running did offer a glimpse of the conditions drivers will face during the race weekend in March.
Race Simulations and High Fuel Loads
Several teams focused on race simulations, with high fuel loads and longer stints. Esteban Ocon of Haas (88 laps) and George Russell of Mercedes were both seen running heavy cars, evidenced by their cars bottoming out on the straights. These runs are crucial for understanding tire wear and degradation, which will be key factors in race strategy.
Leclerc’s Ferrari also appeared to be running a race simulation. Alpine’s Gasly similarly put in a strong performance, suggesting the French team may have made progress compared to their struggles in 2024.
Tight Timesheets Hint at Competitive Season?
One of the most encouraging signs from the afternoon session was the closeness of the lap times. Excluding Haas, who admitted to running a different program, the gap between Norris in P1 and Nico Hulkenberg in P18 was just 1.739 seconds. This tight spread, despite varying fuel loads and tire compounds, bodes well for a highly competitive season.
The “big four” teams—Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren—occupied the top spots on the timing sheets, but the midfield battle also looks promising. Williams, with Sainz and Alex Albon, showed encouraging pace, while Alpine and Aston Martin appear to have made significant strides.
Reactions
- George Russell (Mercedes): "We've had some tests recently where it was really difficult, where things weren't quite right but today has been silky smooth,"
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine): "I'd be surprised if we look as bad as we did a year ago, the team has done a good job over the winter and we are satisfied with the gains we have had."
- Zak Brown (McLaren): "I can see it being super competitive, last year four teams won multiple races, this year I could see that being even more. [I'm] more excited than nervous.
Looking Ahead
With two more days of testing remaining, teams will continue to refine their setups and gather as much data as possible. The focus will likely shift to qualifying simulations and further race runs, as engineers work to unlock more performance from their cars.
The 2025 season promises to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, with multiple teams showing strong potential. As the sun sets on Day 1, the stage is set for an exciting year of Formula 1 racing.
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 1st Day Testing
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Lap Time | 1st Gap | Laps | Tyres |
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:30,430 | 52 | C3 | |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:30,587 | +0,157 | 70 | C3 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 74 | C3 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:30,878 | +0,448 | 71 | C3 |
| 5 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:30,955 | +0,525 | 68 | C3 |
| 6 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:31,353 | +0,923 | 72 | C3 |
| 7 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:31,428 | +0,998 | 78 | C3 |
| 8 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | 1:31,560 | +1,130 | 58 | C3 |
| 9 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:31,573 | +1,143 | 63 | C3 |
| 10 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:31,610 | +1,180 | 78 | C3 |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 76 | C3 |
| 12 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Aston Martin | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 59 | C2 |
| 13 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 70 | C3 |
| 14 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 68 | C3 |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 46 | C3 |
| 16 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 42 | C3 |
| 17 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 66 | C3 |
| 18 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 55 | C3 |
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 88 | C3 |
| 20 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:30,674 | +0,244 | 72 | C2 |
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BIC operators clearly forgot to pay the electric bill in time for the test, but in all seriousness, I initially thought they were simply waiting until around 17:00 before switching on the Musco light bulbs, but as I noticed some of them suddenly turning off & a bit later the Red Bull Racing garage appeared dark, I realized what was going on.
A circuit's lighting infrastructure turning off is something totally unheard of for any floodlit GP location, & I can only imagine what would happen if the same happened during any of these races beyond sunset time.
FIA's reactionary move to add 60 minutes on the fly was good.
McLaren mechanics' hilarious attempt to prevent photographing was useless as everyone had already seen the flow-vis paint anyway, which funnily covered the entire left-hand car side.
Bahrain has indeed been unusually cool for late-February.
All in all, good lap amounts over today's running, especially for Haas, & no major dramas or issues for any teams either.
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