The exhilarating world of Formula 1 motorsport is set to rev its engines once again as the 2025 pre-season testing week commences at the Bahrain International Circuit. The three-day event, kicking off on Wednesday, February 26, will see all ten teams showcasing the capabilities of their 2025 race cars for the first time.
This vital pre-season testing period will be structured around morning and afternoon sessions, each lasting four hours. The morning sessions will start at 10:00 local time, with a brief pause before the afternoon sessions resume at 15:00. The teams can only put one car on the track at any given time, meaning that they will be required to strategically divide their drivers’ time between the six available sessions over the three days.
Leading the pack in the pre-season driver line-up are the 2024 Constructors’ champions, McLaren. The team will initiate testing with Oscar Piastri manning the driver’s seat of the MCL39, with Lando Norris hitting the track in the afternoon. This pattern will be maintained for the first two days before a shuffle in the schedule on the final day.
Lewis Hamilton will be the first to represent Ferrari on the circuit on Wednesday morning, with team-mate Charles Leclerc taking over in the afternoon. The team’s running plan for the subsequent days remains undisclosed.
Red Bull is placing its bets on newcomer Liam Lawson, who will be the first to hit the asphalt with the RB21 on Wednesday. Reigning champion Max Verstappen will follow in the afternoon. Lawson will have an entire day at his disposal on Thursday to acquaint himself with the RB21, with Verstappen wrapping up Red Bull’s testing on Friday.
Mercedes will have Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the helm to start off, and George Russell will take over in the afternoon. This arrangement will be reversed on Thursday and then switched back on Friday.
Each team’s tire allocation during the pre-season testing has also been revealed. All ten teams can choose from a selection of tires from Pirelli’s extensive range, which includes the newly introduced super soft C6 compound. Ferrari and Williams have chosen to test one set of the C6 compound, while a few teams have stretched their selection to the C4 compound. Aston Martin and Alpine are the only teams opting for the hardest three compounds in the Pirelli range (C1, C2, and C3).
The mid-range C3 compound seems to be the popular choice, with a total of 207 sets distributed across the ten teams. Considering Bahrain’s consistent sunny weather, only two teams, Aston Martin and Haas, have opted for Intermediate tires.
For fans eager to follow the pre-season testing, the event will be available on F1TV Pro in applicable regions for subscribers. In the UK, every session will be televised on Sky Sports F1, with programming commencing five minutes before each session.
In summary, the forthcoming pre-season testing is a critical period for the teams and drivers as they prepare to showcase their prowess on the circuit. It is also a fantastic opportunity for fans to catch a glimpse of the exciting season ahead.
