In the aftermath of the recent pre-season testing in Bahrain, a plethora of questions has arisen, with the teams’ true pace over a single lap being the most prominent. The testing was fraught with challenges, from the demanding Bahrain track to the diverse environmental conditions. Yet, it has provided valuable data, such as top speed metrics under various wing settings and setup configurations.
McLaren, a Woking-based team, has intrigued many by their approach. Despite demonstrating exceptional pace in race simulation, McLaren appears to be conserving their Mercedes engine for the inaugural qualifying in Australia. Comparing the top speeds in the quickest laps of this pre-season with those achieved in the previous season’s qualifying and the 2024 test shows that McLaren was among the teams that least exerted their engine in Bahrain.
The fastest driver this pre-season, Carlos Sainz, interestingly found himself in the 12th position in this list. This suggests that Sainz may have been pushing harder than others around the corners of the Bahrain circuit, possibly testing the boundaries of his new FW45. This car is expected to receive a lot of attention in the early stages of the upcoming season.
Other teams seemingly trailing McLaren in speed include Aston Martin and Haas. Despite not experiencing the best sensations, these teams appear to have hidden performance potential that could place them in the midfield battle.
Comparing top speed values to those obtained in the 2024 qualifying highlights that all teams still have some speed to extract from their engines. Ferrari and Haas displayed the most significant difference, with their fastest laps in testing being 7 km/h less than in 2024 qualifying. Coming close was Red Bull with 6 km/h less. The only team to match their 2024 qualifying speed in Bahrain and pre-season testing a year ago was Mercedes.
A retrospective view reveals an intriguing fact. In the 2024 pre-season testing, Mercedes and McLaren were the only teams slower on Bahrain’s main straight during qualifying than in this year’s testing. This is likely due to a higher downforce setup. As per this year’s pre-season testing, McLaren, Red Bull, and Haas were noticeably slower in 2025.
As we edge closer to the Australian Grand Prix, it’s evident that there’s much more to learn about the teams. The pre-season was challenging for all, particularly the engineers who had to assess the factory work done over winter in suboptimal Bahrain track and environmental conditions. The task of strategy engineers, who must evaluate competitor performance and assess how much each team has held back, has also been tough.
Race simulations have offered the most valuable insights ahead of real competition. The grid order appears similar to the end of the 2024 season, but the opening rounds of 2025 might hold some surprises. As the teams prepare and strategize for the upcoming season, the thrill and suspense continue to build.
