McLaren Leads the Pack in Bahrain Pre-Season Testing, Ferrari and Williams Show Strong Potential
McLaren has emerged as the team to beat in the 2025 Formula One season following impressive performances during pre-season testing in Bahrain. With Ferrari looking like their closest competitors and Williams demonstrating significant improvement, the stage is set for an exciting season ahead.
Over the three-day test at the Sakhir circuit, McLaren’s drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, showcased a balanced and quick car that impressed in race simulations. McLaren was quickest on low fuel, finishing 0.21 seconds ahead of Ferrari, and maintained a strong race pace as well. Piastri noted, “The car ran pretty much faultlessly, which was a solid place to be starting from.”
Ferrari, now featuring seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, displayed potential but faced technical issues, forcing Hamilton to end his Friday session earlier than planned due to telemetry problems. Despite this, the team remains a strong contender, with Hamilton settling comfortably into his new role.
Williams, who finished ninth out of ten teams last season, made headlines by completing the most laps—395—thanks to Carlos Sainz’s impressive low-fuel qualifying simulation. Sainz’s lap time of 1:29.348 was not only the fastest of the test but also bettered Williams’ qualifying time from the previous year, suggesting they could be in contention for a spot among the top teams.
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, acknowledged Williams’ potential, suggesting they could challenge for a top-five finish. However, Sainz tempered expectations, stating, “I don’t think we’ve done the necessary step to be fighting with the top teams this year.”
Mercedes, featuring rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli alongside George Russell, also had a productive test, completing 458 laps—more than any other team. However, Red Bull, which dominated the previous season, struggled to find rhythm, completing only 304 laps. Their technical director, Pierre Wache, admitted they have work to do, saying, “I am not as happy as I could be because the car did not respond how we wanted at times.”
