Bearman: We were focusing mainly on race running

After his morning session in the cockpit of the Haas VF25, Bearman said: “Physical training was a big thing, lots of cardio and getting ready for the year The mental side of things, of course, I’m a lot more busy now.

"I didn’t really anticipate that, but then my calendar started filling up, and I realised that once you get started, you’re pretty much flat out until the end of the year.

“I think I’ll enjoy the end of the year. But no, it’s definitely different, something to get used to. You need to be organised, which is not typically my strong point, so I’m working on it. But no, it’s all changed, and I’m very happy for that," added the 19-year-old Briton.

Bearman’s first official day in the Haas VF-25 focused on long runs as the team gathered data on car performance: “We were focusing mainly on race running. We did laps in a row the whole time. We completed the plan that we wanted to, just cycling through a few setup options.

"Seeing where the car stands compared to last year, then building up a catalogue of what the car likes and doesn’t like. It was really nice to run and do so many laps on the first day, no problems on the car. So yeah, successful," Bearman claimed.

Unseasonably cool temperatures and high winds in Bahrain have added an extra challenge for teams and drivers during testing.

“The temperature is strange," the Haas rookie commented. "It’s warmer where I live, so I was expecting to get some sun. Hasn’t been the case yet. The wind has been really high since we arrived.

"Makes it really tough when I play paddle; the ball goes everywhere, but also on track—very gusty and difficult, and not the most fun for us drivers.

"But I think for the team, it’s great. The weaknesses of the car are exposed, and they can really build up a lot of data points because it’s so gusty and so unpredictable," Bearman explained.

The Haas F1 rookie will return to the cockpit on the second day of testing, continuing preparations for his full-time Formula 1 debut in 2025.