Formula 1’s pre-season testing reached its midpoint on Thursday morning at the Bahrain International Circuit, with Lewis Hamilton delivering the fastest lap recorded so far in the 2025 campaign.
This performance underscored Ferrari’s early promise as teams navigated the challenges of the desert track.
The four-hour session faced another unexpected disruption when rain, a rarity at Sakhir, brought testing to a halt for nearly an hour.
The track fell silent as most teams sat idle, unprepared for wet conditions in the arid Bahraini climate.
Only Haas’ Esteban Ocon ventured out, his VF-25 fitted with a set of intermediate tires – the team, alongside Aston Martin, had wisely included wet-weather compounds in their allocation.
Ocon completed a brief stint on the damp surface before returning to the pits, offering a fleeting glimpse of activity amid the lull.
Once the track dried, drivers resumed their programs, but not without incident.
A minor collision occurred at Turn 8, where Oscar Piastri, in the McLaren, made contact with Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber, lightly tapping the right-rear as he attempted an overtake.
However, both cars returned to the pits without apparent damage, allowing testing to continue uninterrupted.
Endurance and Technical Challenges
Despite the rain delay, several drivers managed substantial mileage. George Russell, driving for Mercedes, led the pack with an impressive 71 laps, covering more than a race distance and demonstrating the W15’s reliability.
Piastri and Ocon also joined Russell in completing over a race distance, while the session concluded with a coordinated test of the Virtual Safety Car, suspended start, and race start procedures, providing valuable data for all teams.
However, not all teams escaped unscathed. Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, scheduled to drive the RB21 for the full day, was sidelined early after completing just 28 laps due to a suspected power unit issue, forcing him back to the garage for repairs.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz remained in his Williams throughout the morning, maintaining a steady presence despite the session’s interruptions.
Hamilton’s standout lap time, set before handing over to teammate Charles Leclerc for the afternoon, solidified Ferrari’s early edge, though teams remain cautious with two days of testing left to refine their setups.
Pos.DriverTeamBest TimeGapLaps1Lewis HamiltonFerrari1’29.379452George RussellMercedes1’29.7780.399713Carlos Sainz Jr.Williams1’30.0900.711444Pierre GaslyAlpine1’30.4301.051405Fernando AlonsoAston Martin1’30.7001.321456Yuki TsunodaRacing Bulls1’30.7931.414467Oscar PiastriMcLaren1’30.8211.442448Liam LawsonRed Bull1’31.2331.854289Nico HulkenbergSauber1’31.4572.0785610Esteban OconHaas1’33.0713.69269
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