What to Watch Out for on Day 1 of Bahrain F1 Pre-Season Testing
The 2025 Formula 1 season is set to begin with a three-day pre-season test in Bahrain. Teams and drivers will take to the Bahrain International Circuit from February 26 to February 28, testing their new cars and getting valuable track time before the season opener.
| Date | Time (GMT) | Venue | Sessions |
| Feb 26, 2025 | 07:00 – 11:00 (AM) 12:00 – 16:00 (PM) | Bahrain International Circuit | Morning & Afternoon |
This year the schedule of F1 is slightly different due to Ramadan with the Australian Grand Prix opening the season on March 16 instead of Bahrain.
Each team will run one car per test day, meaning drivers will get approximately 1.5 days of testing each.
| Team | Wednesday, Feb 26 | Thursday, Feb 27 | Friday, Feb 28 |
| McLaren | Oscar Piastri (AM) Lando Norris (PM) | Oscar Piastri (AM) Lando Norris (PM) | Lando Norris (AM) Oscar Piastri (PM) |
| Ferrari | Lewis Hamilton (AM) Charles Leclerc (PM) | TBA | TBA |
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen (AM) Liam Lawson (PM) | Max Verstappen | Liam Lawson |
| Mercedes | Andrea Kimi Antonelli (AM) George Russell (PM) | George Russell (AM) Andrea Kimi Antonelli (PM) | Andrea Kimi Antonelli (AM) George Russell (PM) |
| Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso (AM) Lance Stroll (PM) | Fernando Alonso (AM) Lance Stroll (PM) | Lance Stroll (AM) Fernando Alonso (PM) |
| Alpine | Jack Doohan (AM) Pierre Gasly (PM) | Pierre Gasly (AM) Jack Doohan (PM) | Jack Doohan (AM) Pierre Gasly (PM) |
| Haas | Oliver Bearman (AM) Esteban Ocon (PM) | Esteban Ocon (AM) Oliver Bearman (PM) | Oliver Bearman (AM) Esteban Ocon (PM) |
| Racing Bulls | Yuki Tsunoda (AM) Isack Hadjar (PM) | Yuki Tsunoda (AM) Isack Hadjar (PM) | Isack Hadjar (AM) Yuki Tsunoda (PM) |
| Williams | Alex Albon (AM) Carlos Sainz (PM) | Carlos Sainz | Alex Albon |
| Sauber | Nico Hulkenberg (AM) Gabriel Bortoleto (PM) | Nico Hulkenberg (AM) Gabriel Bortoleto (PM) | Gabriel Bortoleto (AM) Nico Hulkenberg (PM) |
Pirelli has provided all teams with a selection of its six 2025 compounds, along with intermediate and wet tyres.
| Team | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | Inter | Wet |
| McLaren | 5 | 9 | 20 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Ferrari | 3 | 4 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| Red Bull | 2 | 11 | 20 | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Mercedes | 2 | 2 | 27 | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Aston Martin | 8 | 4 | 20 | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Alpine | 6 | 6 | 23 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Haas | 5 | 6 | 18 | 4 | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Racing Bulls | 4 | 4 | 23 | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Williams | 4 | 12 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| Sauber | 4 | 8 | 20 | 3 | – | – | – | – |
The 2025 season has a strong rookie class, with six newcomers. While Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, and Jack Doohan have prior race experience, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto are making their full F1 debuts. Their first track session will be crucial as they gain mileage and adapt to their new cars.
One of the most talked-about moments of the pre-season will be Lewis Hamilton’s first public run in a Ferrari. The seven-time world champion has moved to Maranello after years at Mercedes, and all eyes will be on his first laps in the SF-25.
Several drivers have switched teams, and this will be the first time we see them in action with their new squads. Notable moves include:
While test lap times don’t tell the full story, fans will still analyze every detail to assess team performance. Reliability issues are less expected due to stable regulations, but surprises can always happen. Williams had reliability concerns last year but appears more prepared in 2025 after a successful shakedown at Silverstone.
Teams have access to Pirelli’s full range of 2025 tyres, including the new extra-soft C6 compound. Intermediate and wet tyres might also come into play, with a slight 10% chance of rain on Wednesday and up to 45% on Thursday.
The first day of Bahrain testing promises exciting insights into the 2025 F1 season. Stay tuned for updates as teams fine-tune their machines for the upcoming Australian Grand Prix.
For years, tech companies have been blamed for designing apps that are almost impossible to put down. Endless scrolling, autoplay… Read More
Finally, after waiting for such a long time, the ending of Good Omens is here. However, it is not what… Read More
Saudi Arabia has put short-term normalization with Israel on hold. It stated that formal ties will only come after the… Read More
What began as a frightening hantavirus scare aboard a Tenerife-bound cruise has now escalated into something even more unsettling. Health… Read More
Google may have just made its boldest move in personal computing since the launch of Chromebooks more than a decade… Read More
The red carpet at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival looks noticeably different this year, and not just because of the… Read More
This website uses cookies.
Read More