The 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing officially kicked off marking the beginning of a crucial three-day period for teams to fine-tune their cars ahead of the upcoming season.
The day was marked by a mix of promising performances, unexpected disruptions, and intriguing storylines as all 20 drivers took to the track in two separate sessions.
McLaren’s Lando Norris emerged as the fastest driver to cap off the opening day of 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing, setting a benchmark lap time of 1:30.430, but the session was not without its challenges.
Kimi Antonelli fastest in morning run
The morning session began with Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli leading the charge. The young driver impressed onlookers by setting the fastest lap of the morning at 1:31.428 while completing an impressive 78 laps, tied for the highest lap count of the session.
This performance highlighted Mercedes’ focus on reliability and consistency, as Antonelli’s teammate George Russell would later build on this foundation in the afternoon.
Red Bull’s Liam Lawson and Williams’ Alexander Albon followed closely behind Antonelli in the morning standings, rounding out a strong showing for rookies and experienced drivers alike.
Lando Norris dominates the afternoon session
As the afternoon session got underway, teams swapped drivers to maximize track time and data collection. Notable names like reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and McLaren’s Lando Norris took to the track.
The session saw an increase in pace as drivers began to push their cars harder on a rubbered-in track under cooler-than-usual conditions for Bahrain.
Leclerc initially set the fastest time at 1:30.878 before a sudden power outage brought track action at the 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing to a halt.
At approximately 5 p.m. local time, a regional power failure caused a blackout at the circuit, plunging team garages and pitwall monitors into darkness and halting track action. Even floodlights around the circuit were affected as dusk settled over Bahrain.
The disruption lasted for over an hour, with teams left waiting for power to be restored. FIA officials later announced that the session would be extended by an hour to compensate for lost time, allowing teams to continue their programs into the evening.
Once action resumed, drivers wasted no time making up for lost laps. Lando Norris quickly asserted himself at the top of the timesheets with his best lap of 1:30.430, showcasing McLaren’s potential strength heading into the season.
George Russell followed closely in second place with a time of 1:30.587 after completing 70 laps, while Verstappen secured third with a 1:30.674 after logging an impressive 74 laps in his Red Bull.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ended the day fourth overall with his earlier time of 1:30.878, while Carlos Sainz made headlines by placing fifth in his first official outing for Williams with a lap of 1:30.955 after completing 68 laps.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was sixth fastest with a time of 1:31.353 after 72 laps while Kimi Antonelli followed in seventh. Liam Lawson and Alex Albon took eighth and ninth respectively.
Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar represented Racing Bulls well, with Tsunoda finishing tenth overall and Hadjar recovering from an early spin to complete 76 laps in total.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton made his debut for Ferrari during the morning session, finishing twelfth overall with a best lap of 1:31.834 after completing 70 laps.
Despite Day 1 of the 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing exhibiting cooler-than-average temperatures and even light rain towards the end of the day—a rarity in Bahrain—teams managed to accumulate significant mileage across both sessions.
Over three-quarters of the grid completed more than a race distance worth of laps, underscoring their focus on reliability testing and data collection rather than outright performance.
Different teams occupying the top six spots highlighted how competitive the 2025 F1 season could turn out to be, with McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, Williams, and Alpine all showing promising pace on Day 1.
However, as is often emphasized during pre-season testing, lap times should be taken with caution since variables like fuel loads, engine modes, and tire compounds remain undisclosed.
Looking ahead to Day 2 of testing, teams will aim to refine their setups further while addressing any issues uncovered during Day 1. Weather forecasts suggest an increased likelihood of rain, which could add another layer of unpredictability to proceedings.
