A highly anticipated Formula 1 pre-season testing gets underway in Bahrain, offering a crucial three-day event to teams and drivers ahead of the upcoming season. So who looks good and who has to improve? Stay tuned with Total-Motorsport.com for news and updates from F1 2025 testing with this live blog.
This is the first real opportunity to fine-tune their cars and evaluate performance ahead of the season opener in Australia and testing at the Bahrain International Circuit will follow a structured format, with two sessions each day.
This allows teams to assess their cars under a variety of conditions, mirroring race-day scenarios. Bahrain’s track, renowned for its mix of fast straights and tight corners, presents an ideal testing ground, offering valuable insights into tyre management, aerodynamics, and overall vehicle balance.
One of the biggest talking points heading into testing is Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated debut with Ferrari. Having spent his entire hybrid-era career with Mercedes, the seven-time world champion embarks on a new chapter with the Scuderia.
His first official test in the Ferrari SF-25 will be closely analysed as fans and experts assess his transition to the Italian outfit. Enthusiasm among Ferrari supporters is already at a fever pitch, highlighted by an incident where a fan chopped down a tree just to get a better view of the Brit’s first Fiorano run.
Meanwhile, Mercedes faces a season of transformation following Hamilton’s departure. George Russell now steps up as the team’s lead driver, partnering with promising 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
And how will Red Bull respond after a tough 2024? Will they finally provide Max Verstappen with a car that can compete for Grand Prix wins on a race-to-race basis once again? Keep an eye out to see if they’ve fixed their balance problems or if it’s another long season for Christian Horner.
With just a few weeks before the season opener in Melbourne, these tests will be crucial in shaping the pecking order. Teams will be looking to gather vital data and address any shortcomings before the racing action begins.
Total-Motorsport.com’s live F1 2025 testing updates will offer fans unparalleled insight into team strategies, reliability concerns, and potential frontrunners. So stay tuned with us as pre-season testing unfolds in Bahrain.
F1 2025 Preseason Testing LIVE: News and updates from Bahrain
CHEQUERED FLAG: Day 1 ends with Norris on top
What threatened to be a worrying day for McLaren turned out to be a very rewarding one as Lando Norris proved the team intends to pick up exactly where they left off from the thrilling 2024 Formula 1 season.
Meanwhile Max Verstappen’s charging Red Bull now seems tamed and controllable for the four-time world champion as he stays close to the leading pack.
But at the other end, is there more to come from Haas and Aston Martin? Find out tomorrow from 07:00 local time in Bahrain.
Lando Norris, McLaren – 1:30.430
George Russell, Mercedes – 1:30.587 (+0.157)
Max Verstappen, Red Bull – 1:30.674 (+0.244)
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari – 1:30.878 (+0.448)
Carlos Sainz, Williams – 1:30.955 (+0.525)
Pierre Gasly, Alpine – 1:31.353 (+0.923)
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes – 1:31.428 (+0.998)
Liam Lawson, Red Bull – 1:31.560 (+1.130)
Alex Albon, Williams – 1:31.573 (+1.143)
Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls – 1:31.610 (+1.180)
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls – 1:31.631 (+1.201)
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber – 1:31.690 (+1.260)
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari – 1:31.834 (+1.404)
Jack Doohan, Alpine – 1:31.841 (+1.411)
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin – 1:31.874 (+1.444)
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin – 1:31.949 (+1.519)
Oscar Piastri, McLaren – 1:32.084 (+1.654)
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber – 1:32.169 (+1.739)
Esteban Ocon, Haas – 1:33.600 (+3.170)
Oliver Bearman, Haas – 1:35.522 (+5.092)
Lando drives a Mc-Sauber?
There’s so much flow vis on Lando Norris’ McLaren that it almost looks like a Sauber as the team runs an extreme aerodynamic test that the team are absolutely desperate to hide.
Norris’ colleagues form a human shield to protect the car and nobody can see what’s going on. They’re even trying to prevent a photographer from taking photos of the car.
That’s a lot of data and a lot of sensitive data at that too…
Lando Norris still leads the way in Bahrain
Lando Norris remains top of the timing board as things stand despite running barely over 50 laps in Bahrain as the McLaren star’s 1:30.430 as he leads George Russell by 0.157 and Max Verstappen by 0.244.
Charles Leclerc then settles into fourth, some 0.488 back.
Verstappen flexes his wings
Max Verstappen is on a flyer and sets a purple first sector but can’t maintain Lando Norris’ pace through the rest of the lap, ultimately finishing 0.244s behind the McLaren in second.
The Red Bull star moves ahead of Charles Leclerc and George Russell. Are McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes set to be nip and tuck in 2025?
GREEN FLAG: The session is back underway
The power is back on and the cars are pounding around the track once again as Lando Norris bangs in a 1:30.430 to move four tenths clear of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and George Russell’s Mercedes, with Max Verstappen hovering around in fourth.
And good news for fans! The FIA have extended the session by an extra hour to compensate for the lost time due to that power outage earlier. We’re well into night time now, with more representative conditions for the Bahrain Grand Prix later in the season.
Still under a red flag in Bahrain
Bahrain finally gets the power back on but the cars can’t quite go out yet, with the FIA waiting to make sure everything is back online properly.
There’s just an hour left in this session. Teams will be eager to get going again soon, particularly Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lando Norris who make up the top three.
RED FLAG: Session stopped
There appears to be a power issue within the paddock so the FIA have red-flagged the session to make sure nobody is at risk for needless reasons.
Red Bull’s computers have entirely switched off, they’ll hope their data is backed-up. Likewise for the rest of the grid if the power outage is circuit-wide.
Verstappen vs Leclerc vs Norris vs Russell: How are the teams getting on?
Max Verstappen’s currently sporting flow vis on his Red Bull car as he tests the diffuser for his engineers and gathers all important data for the team. The defending champ currently runs in fifth, although he’s not doing performance runs on that basis.
But he’s not alone on the track either. He’s joined by three would-be usurpers to his Formula 1 crown. So how are Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and George Russell getting along?
So far, it’s great news for the Ferrari and Mercedes drivers. Leclerc currently leads the times and then comes Russell, narrowly behind by a margin of 0.204. Their cars seem pretty well balanced and settled and the drivers seem comfortable pushing it around Bahrain.
However, the same may not be able to be said for Norris. He is yet to set a time in the McLaren, although this is not unprecedented. McLaren did the same thing with Oscar Piastri in the morning session.
It’s testing after all. Times can’t be relied upon.
Isack Hadjar takes his RB for a spin
A couple of the Red Bull rookies have got it wrong today so what will Helmut Marko make of it?
Liam Lawson looped his car around in the morning session and now Isack Hadjar, in the stunning white RB livery, also goes for a spin too. This time at the exit of Turn 4.
Gremlins for Verstappen
Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, isn’t having an easy time of it in Bahrain ahead of the season opener in Australia in a matter of weeks.
The star runs wide at Turn 11, with a lot of understeer. It’s unclear if that’s fuel, driver error or simply an inherent issue with the Red Bull car in this session.
But he does have pace. The Dutchman goes second fastest, just 0.016 behind Kimi Antonelli who set his time in the morning session for Mercedes.
We have cars on track including Max Verstappen
The 2024 Formula 1 world champion, and man to beat, Max Verstappen is finally on the prowl around the Bahrain track as he blasts down the main straight with DRS open.
He runs wide at Turn 4 on the hard tyres but things generally seem okay on his Red Bull as he sets a 1:33.344. However, that time is a long way off anything meaningful when it comes to the absolute pace of these cars.
More to come.
Welcome back! No action yet
It’s windy at the Bahrain International Circuit and that won’t do too much for gathering any kind of data. Subsequently, all the cars are sat in the garages making sure they stay out of the blustery breeze.
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari doesn’t even have tyres on it yet, that’s how apprehensive the teams are.
F1 2025 preseason testing: Day 1: Morning session ends
And that’s a wrap for the first instalment of F1 2025 preseason testing as the four hours expire with Kimi Antonelli on top of the charts for Mercedes in his opening cameo as a full-time Formula 1 driver.
With 78 laps on the board, it was a strong effort from the teenager and Toto Wolff will no doubt be pleased with that return. However, there were a few hiccups around with lock-ups from the 18-year-old, as well as soon of his fellow colleagues out there too as they dust off the cobwebs after the summer.
Your Top 10 in Bahrain:
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes: 1:31.428
Liam Lawson, Red Bull: +0.132
Alex Albon, Williams: +0.145
Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls: +0.182
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari: +0.406
Jack Doohan, Alpine: +0.413
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin: +0.446
Oscar Piastri, McLaren: +0.656
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber: +0.741
Oliver Bearman, Haas: +4.094
Who has done the most laps?
One of the few things you can generally understand across the few days of testing we’ll have in Bahrain ahead of Melbourne’s opener is reliability.
Lap counts are a great way to decipher which teams could be poised to avoid engine failures, gearbox collapses and other mechanical issues throughout the season; and that’s going to be crucial in F1 2025 with a tight championship battle forecast between at least four drivers.
It’s good news, and no surprise, for Mercedes that they’ve completed the most tours of the Bahrain International Circuit on this Wednesday morning.
Kimi Antonelli is tied with Yuki Tsunoda in the RBPT/Honda power unit for RB, both completing 78 laps which is equal to 262 miles.
Then comes: Bearman (Haas/72 laps), Hamilton (Ferrari/70 laps), Jack Doohan (Alpine/68 laps), Oscar Piastri (McLaren/66 laps), Albon (Williams/63 laps), Lawson (Red Bull/58 laps), Hulkenberg (Sauber/55 laps) and finally Alonso (Aston Martin/46 laps).
What is the green paint spotted on the cars? A guide to flow vis:
Curious as to what the green, and sometimes red, paint is on the Formula 1 cars as they pound around the Bahrain International Circuit? No worries, here is all you need to know about what flow vis is:
Standing for flow visualisation, it’s a fluorescent paint mixed with a lightweight oil that is applied to a car’s aerodynamic surfaces to study airflow behavior.
As the car moves, the air pushes the paint along the surface, revealing patterns that engineers analyze to understand how air interacts with bodywork. This helps teams validate wind tunnel and CFD simulations, detect turbulence, and identify inefficiencies in aerodynamic designs.
It provides a quick and effective visual reference for engineers to assess airflow distribution and make necessary adjustments to improve aerodynamic performance.
Can you spot it on Jack Doohan’s Alpine?
Kimi Antonelli lights up the timing boards
Mercedes’ latest recruit, Kimi Antonelli, has just put a smile on the face of Toto Wolff as the young Italian prodigy goes fastest overall with around an hour left in the first part of this morning running in Bahrain.
A 1:31.428 on the medium tyres puts him clear of the seasoned head of Alex Albon, who lags 0.145 behind with Liam Lawson in third on the hard tyres.
The 18-year-old is the youngest driver in the sport since Max Verstappen, and he backs up the hype by going 0.406 quicker than Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari.
But it’s important to remember that testing times are unrepresentative. We’ll only truly find out when the Australian Grand Prix gets underway from March 14-16.
First Red Bull mistake for Liam Lawson: Big spin for the Kiwi
It’s all fine for the New Zealander heads down through Turn 1 at the Bahrain International Circuit but as the rookie heads through Turn 2 and 3, he bottoms out his Red Bull and around she goes.
The kerb-whack causes the car to lose all aerodynamic stability and the 23-year-old flatspots all four tyres trying to keep the vehicle out of the barriers.
He’s back in the pits now, but is that another indicator Red Bull have the same stability problems as 2024? What will Max Verstappen think later today?
Wondering what those metal grids attached to the cars are?
Part of testing is seeing some unusual parts on the cars as teams try to figure out just exactly what they are doing so what are those strange metal grids attached to the chassis and suspensions?
They’re called aero rakes, and in Formula 1 they are sensors attached to the cars during testing to measure airflow and aerodynamic performance.
Fitted with pressure sensors or Pitot tubes, they gather real-time data on airspeed, pressure, and flow structures around key areas like the front wing, floor, and diffuser.
Teams use this data to validate wind tunnel and CFD simulations, ensuring their aerodynamic concepts work as expected. They help refine car setups and optimize performance under real track conditions.
Lawson leads the way but do Red Bull still have problems?
Were Red Bull right to promote Liam Lawson ahead of Yuki Tsunoda to partner Max Verstappen? We wait to find out but so far it’s looking good as the New Zealander leads the timings with a 1:31.574 on the medium tyre. He’s 0.270 ahead of Jack Doohan two hours into Day 1.
But with times still well off the 2024 Bahrain GP’s pole, there’s not a lot of validity to the running at the moment. However, do Red Bull still have problems?
Lawson catches a snap of oversteer at the exit of Turn 4… That’s the kind of hiccup that had Verstappen cussing his team out on the radio throughout 2024.
What are engineers looking for in testing?
With the cars running around two seconds off the pace of qualifying for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, there isn’t a lot of representative data when it comes to being at the limit of the car over a single lap.
So what exactly are the engineers looking for? And how exactly do they find it? It turns out that consistency is key!
“What we are looking for as engineers at testing is consistent laps,” Bernie Collins tells Sky Sports F1. “They are looking at elements of tyre set-up, pressure, whatever – they want the same level lap after lap.
“They are trying to go at 80 percent to try and get the same run time and time again to analyse and compare the performance against each other.”
Are Mercedes copying Red Bull?
It appears as though Mercedes have once again thrown another Hail Mary in a bid to finally get back into the fight for world championships in this ground effect era, this time by drawing inspiration from Red Bull.
Could it work and finally bring them back into the title picture after a drab period of limited success for Toto Wolff’s team since the 2021 season?
“Antonelli has stepped into the car, which looks like the Red Bull,” Ted Kravitz tells Sky Sports F1. “They have certainly taken some design cues from recent Red Bulls, but they have taken it to a more extreme level.
“Just beneath the wing mirror, you can see one of the sidepod air intakes is the vertical one which Red Bull brought to their car last year. It’s extreme and a different design idea to the Mercedes of last year.
“It’s quite different to what Mercedes are used to. They have stayed with the push-rod suspension which Ferrari and Red Bull don’t have.”
Timings after an hour: Who leads the way?
Nine of the 10 drivers running in this morning session finally have a time on the board, all except for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri who is yet to make an appearance on the circuit.
And it’s good news for Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton leads the timing boards with 2 hours and 54 minutes to go, with the seven-time world champion putting a 1:32.621 on the board to lead Williams’ Alex Albon by 0.241.
Of course, there’s nothing to read into with the times. We don’t know fuel loads, engine modes, or a million other variable factors going on in Bahrain.
What we do know is the times are still 3.5 seconds behind Max Verstappen’s pole time at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. Hamilton’s current time would still be 1.4 seconds behind the slowest qualifier at that race.
Lance Stroll gets a new race engineer
Lance Stroll has a brand new race engineer for the 2025 Formula 1 season as he links up with Gary Gannon, who arrives at at Aston Martin after departing from Ayao Komatsu’s Haas team after a successful 2024.
Gannon has worked with Romain Grosjean, Mick Schumacher and Nico Hulkenberg with the American team and previously spent three years with Marussia from 2011-2014. He joined Haas in 2016.
The American, who has experience in CART and ALMS (American Le Mans Series) in the United States, is known for his calm voice over the team radio and his reassuring approach to guiding his drivers.
Ferrari testing the front wing
Ferrari has been gathering data on front wing flexing in the early stages of F1 2025 preseason testing ahead of a midseason regulations update, after the FIA announced stricter aero elasticity rules for 2025, tightening regulations on front wing elasticity.
Although previously legal and verified by the FIA following complaints from Red Bull and Ferrari in 2024, the change is set to take effect from the Spanish Grand Prix; but was only announced over the winter break.
This has frustrated Ferrari by compromising their current design approach late into the concept, forcing them to react and lose valuable wind tunnel time and budgeting ahead of a major regulations change in 2026.
The revision primarily affects teams like McLaren and Mercedes, who exploited flexibility, and Ferrari who anticipated consistency with the rules. Meanwhile Red Bull, who did not, stands to benefit.
Front-wing flexing benefits teams by reducing the amount of drag on the straights as the wing flattens at high speeds, before it returns to the desired aerodynamic level under braking for the corners, allowing teams to keep the rewards of cornering without compromising top speed.
Will F1 2025 testing be busy?
With six drivers embarking on their rookie seasons in Formula 1 in 2025, and a further four more switching teams in the offseason, 50% of the grid has a lot of learning to do ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in March.
Thus, you can expect cars to be busy throughout the weekend as the new blood of Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Isack Hadjar (RB) and Garbiel Bortoleto (Sauber) try to learn the ropes.
Meanwhile senior heads such as Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Carlos Sainz (Williams), Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) familiarise themselves with elements such as new engines, new garages and new colleagues.
GREEN LIGHT: Formula 1 is back!
The pit lane opens and signals the return of Formula 1 after over two months off since Lando Norris claimed victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Kimi Antonelli is out on track for Mercedes in this morning session so how will he do for the Silver Arrows? He’s not going to be pushing yet as the rookie has an aero rake on his car.
Also joining him on track? None other than Sir Lewis Hamilton but this time the seven-time world champion isn’t in one of Toto Wolff’s cars. His signature yellow helmet, a tribute to Ayrton Senna, is surrounded by the deep red of Ferrari. Will he bring glory to Maranello in 2025?
What time is F1 2025 preseason testing?
F1 pre-season testing for the 2025 season is set to take place from February 26-28 in the Middle East, giving fans their first look at the cars in action and the day will begin at 10:00 local time in Bahrain and will wrap up at 19:00 local time in the Middle East.
These start and end times will remain consistent throughout all three days. Check the table below to see how these times convert for you if you’re located in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand:
United Kingdom: F1 pre-season testing in 2025 will kick off at 07:00 GMT and conclude at 16:00 GMT.
USA and Canada: F1 pre-season testing in 2025 begins at 02:00 ET/23:00 PT* and will finish at 11:00 ET/08:00 PT in Bahrain.
Australia: Fans in the Southern Hemisphere residing in Australia can tune in for pre-season testing at 18:00 AEST, with the session wrapping up at 03:00**.
New Zealand: Lastly, New Zealand fans can catch testing from 21:00 NZDT, concluding at 06:00**.
* – Refers to the previous day.
** – Refers to the following day.
How to watch F1 2025 preseason testing
With the stakes set and the importance of pre-season testing for the 2025 F1 season known, one final thing remains is where can you watch it?
Here’s a guide to help fans worldwide follow the action live:
United Kingdom: Sky Sports F1 has exclusive broadcasting rights and will show every session live, complete with expert analysis. Viewers can also stream the coverage via NOW, Sky Sports F1’s online service.
United States: ESPN will air live coverage, including Spanish-language options for viewers. Fans can also stream the sessions through ESPN+ or F1 TV Pro.
Canada: Canadian fans can watch live on TSN, with RDS providing French-language coverage. Streaming options include F1 TV Pro and TSN Direct for those wanting to follow on the go.
Australia: Fox Sports will provide full coverage of all three days of testing. Fans wanting to keep up with Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan can also stream the sessions via Kayo Sports.
New Zealand: Kiwi fans eager to see how Liam Lawson stacks up can tune into Sky Sport NZ for live coverage. Streaming is available through the Sky Go App and Fan Pass.
