Bahrain F1 Testing: Antonelli tops; teams show impressive reliability

Wednesday, 26 February 2025 at 12:22

The 2025 Formula 1 pre-season officially got underway at the Bahrain International Circuit, with teams gathering crucial data in a chilly opening morning session.

The final Formula 1 season under the current regulations saw strong early running from Lewis Hamilton, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Liam Lawson, while reliability remained high across the board on the first morning of Bahrain Formula 1 testing.

The lights turned green at 10:00 local time, marking the start of pre-season running. Mercedes’ rookie Antonelli was the first driver to hit the track, closely followed by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Teams wasted no time collecting data, with several cars running aero rakes in the early stages. Lawson set the initial benchmark with a 1:35.806s for Red Bull, as the session settled into its first rhythm.

Hamilton, sporting his new yellow helmet design, quickly climbed to the top of the leaderboard in his Ferrari. The seven-time world champion, running medium tyres, was two tenths clear of Albon and appeared at ease in his new surroundings.

Steady running with no major issues

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As expected in the final year of a stable ruleset, reliability was strong throughout the morning. Antonelli completed 30 laps for Mercedes, with no teams reporting significant technical issues. Tsunoda topped the lap charts, underlining the solid mileage being logged.

McLaren ran a different programme early on, with Piastri yet to set a time by mid-morning. However, after some set-up changes, the Australian returned to the track on used medium tyres.

Hamilton had a minor moment at Turn 11, running wide and locking up in windy conditions, but continued without issue. By midday, Antonelli, Alonso, and Hamilton remained among the busiest drivers, while teams continued gathering vital aerodynamic and tyre data.

Hulkenberg’s Sauber featured visible red flow-vis paint, while Lawson’s Red Bull was also running with the paint to monitor airflow. However, Lawson had a moment at Turn 4, running wide and disrupting his data collection.

Bearman reported feeling cold over the radio, as overcast conditions and a chilly wind made for uncharacteristically cool Bahrain temperatures. The session remained dry, though there is a small chance of rain predicted for Thursday.

Antonelli got faster as track evolution kicks in

With just under an hour to go before lunch, lap times began to improve as the track rubbered in. Antonelli posted a 1m 31.428s to go quickest for Mercedes, edging Albon by a tenth.

Lawson continued struggling with the handling of his RB21, which looked one of the trickiest cars to drive. Despite the improving track conditions, most teams remained hesitant to reveal their full hand, opting to focus on data gathering rather than outright performance.

With one session complete, attention now turns to the afternoon running, where teams may push harder as they seek further insights ahead of the new season while the teams' second drivers all get a chance to sample their 'office' in anger.

Sure it is only pre-season testing, but the 2025 Formula 1 season is finally underway!