2025 F1 pre-season testing results: Sainz tops overall times

Three days of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit saw plenty of running for the 2025 F1 grid, with drivers getting up to speed with their new teams, new machinery and a renewed sense that the Drivers’ Championship could be anyone’s this year.

2025 F1 pre-season testing results

Day 1

Norris picks up where he left off

Lando Norris set an early benchmark in Bahrain as F1 pre-season testing 2025 got underway on the first day. The McLaren driver clocked the fastest time of the day on the C3 medium compound with a 1:30.430, finishing ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the reigning champion Max Verstappen. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the Williams rounded out the top five, all of whom were within half a second of Norris’ time.

Power cut shocks paddock, stops play 

The day was not without its challenges, however.  A power cut brought proceedings to a halt with the paddock descending into darkness during a lengthy delay. The outage was caused by an external substation failure and as a result, the session was red flagged while power was restored. After over an hour of delays, teams were granted an extended session to recover lost running time.

Hamilton gets to grips with Ferrari

All eyes were on seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton as he took to the track in current generation Ferrari machinery for the first time. Hamilton completed 70 laps in the SF-25 during the morning session, marking his first real opportunity to push the car on representative tyres.

Hamilton’s session ran smoothly, apart from a few minor off-track excursions. Those setbacks weren’t sufficient to stop the 105-time Grand Prix winner from taking the fifth-fastest time of the morning session.

Mercedes and Red Bull show their hand

Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the pace in the morning session with a 1:31.428 before finishing seventh overall as afternoon times improved. Meanwhile, Verstappen slotted into third place, just two tenths behind Norris at the end of the day’s running, as he began his title defence with 74 laps of solid mileage.

Spins for Lawson and Hadjar, Ocon ticks off the laps

It wasn’t all smooth sailing at the Red Bull camp, though. The rookies of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar overcame dramatic spins at Turn 3 and Turn 4 respectively. 

Despite his spin, Lawson set the second-fastest time of the morning session and ended the day eighth overall, with Hadjar just outside the top ten in 11th.

Meanwhile, Haas’ new recruit Esteban Ocon put in the most laps of any driver, completing 88 in total.

Day 2

Sainz sets the pace as Williams raise eyebrows

Sainz topped the timesheets on the second day of testing, reinforcing Williams’ strong start of fifth on Day 1. The Spaniard clocked a 1:29.348 to edge out Hamilton by three hundredths of a second, with the other Ferrari of Leclerc rounding out the top three.

Mercedes keeps it steady

Mercedes continued to build on their opening-day performance with Russell securing fourth place, while team-mate Antonelli rounded out the top five just six thousandths behind the Brit. The young Italian exhibited impressive pace, but suffered multiple lock-ups in the afternoon, highlighting there are still inconsistencies to be ironed out.

Contact between Piastri and Hulkenberg

An unusual moment at Turn 8 saw Oscar Piastri and Nico Hulkenberg make contact at Turn 8. Fortunately, both drivers escaped without significant damage.

Norris and McLaren show their hand 

While Norris only placed 14th on the timesheets, his afternoon race simulation caught the paddock’s attention. In a session disrupted by intermittent rain, McLaren waited patiently, unleashing its long-run pace in a dry final two hours.

On comparable full-race stints, Norris was consistently around one second per lap quicker than both Leclerc and Antonelli, hinting at further improved tyre wear, an area in which the Woking-based team was particularly strong last season.

Lawson hits trouble at Red Bull

Liam Lawson was let loose in the RB21 for a full day, but Red Bull’s running was hampered by reliability issues. A morning water pressure failure limited mileage with the young New Zealander eventually completing 89 laps. All eyes then turned to reigning champion Verstappen, who was set to take charge of the Red Bull for the entire final day of testing and all being well, complete his first race runs of the 2025 season.

Day 3

Troubling times for Red Bull, Verstappen hustles

When Verstappen did get behind the wheel, he spent much of the day wrestling his RB21 around the Bahrain circuit. Understeer, oversteer and back again. It looked like a handful to drive, but still not beyond the talents of the four-time champion. Despite the unpredictable handling of his machinery, Max took the second fastest time of the day with a 1:29.566.

Russell tops final day

In a late charge, Russell put Mercedes at the top of the pecking order on Day 3, setting a 1:29.545. Throughout the three days of testing, the Brackley-based team was there or thereabouts, and George’s late laps under the lights only confirmed that.

Ferrari and Leclerc top morning session

Leclerc recorded a 1:30.811 to go fastest in the morning session, seven thousandths ahead of Antonelli – who topped the morning of Day 1 – with Norris close behind in third.

Williams threatening the front again

Although his time was set on the softer C4 tyre, Alex Albon briefly topped the evening session with a 1:29.650, proving once again that Williams be a bona fide threat in 2025.

Bizarre red flags 

On-track running was halted by red flags for just over 10 minutes in the morning session, as marshals cleared shattered gantry glass that had fallen onto the start-finish straight. 

In the afternoon, the session was once again red flagged as a bus was seen in front of the crash barriers at Turns 9 and 10. With the bus moved back behind the barriers and the gate opening sealed off, the session resumed.

When is the first F1 race?

The F1 season-opener will be held in Melbourne at the Australian Grand Prix for the first time since 2019, and is set to take place from 14-16 March. 

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