The first day of F1 Testing Day One in Bahrain kicked off with early indications of what the 2025 grid might look like. Under the desert sun, McLaren’s Lando Norris pumped in the fastest time, setting a time of 1m30.430s. George Russell (Mercedes) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) followed closely, with teams battling a mix of cool morning conditions and a mid-session power outage.
With everyone eager to see who’s made the biggest gains, let’s dive into the key takeaways from F1 Testing Day One.
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McLaren Makes a Statement on F1 Testing Day One
McLaren came into testing with high expectations, and they delivered. The MCL38 looked planted and fast, but the team played it cool in the morning session, focusing on high-fuel runs with Oscar Piastri. Then came Lando Norris, and suddenly, McLaren was flying.
When Norris turned up the pace in the afternoon, the orange machine handled beautifully—fast on turn-in, stable through traction zones, and quick in a straight line. He ended F1 Testing Day One 0.157s ahead of Russell, laying down an early marker.
“We’ve brought some bold innovations this year. So far, things look promising, but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves.”
Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO
Translation? They know they’ve built something quick.
Mercedes Shows Early Promise
Mercedes had a solid F1 Testing Day One, looking more comfortable than in previous seasons. Kimi Antonelli started the morning, setting the early pace before handing over to George Russell, who put in a lap just 0.157s behind Norris.
“The car feels great straight out of the box, but testing is testing—we need to see where we really stack up when racing begins.”
George Russell was upbeat but cautious
That said, the W16 looked stable and predictable, a big improvement from last year’s unpredictable rear-end. Could this be the year Mercedes gets back to title contention?
Red Bull Faces Early Struggles
Over at Red Bull, things weren’t as smooth. Liam Lawson had a tricky morning session, battling oversteer and an unexpected spin at Turn 3. In the afternoon, Max Verstappen brought some stability, finishing third fastest but still 0.244s off the top.
The RB21 looked a handful in slower corners, particularly Turn 10, where Verstappen wrestled with front-end grip.
“We tried different setups today. Some worked, some didn’t. We’re learning.”
Red Bull’s Pierre Wache admitted they’re still figuring things out.
For a team that’s dominated in recent years, this wasn’t the perfect start. But it’s only F1 Testing Day One—don’t count them out just yet.
Ferrari Shows Mixed Signals
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth, but his lap came early in the session, suggesting he may have been on a heavier fuel load. Lewis Hamilton, in his first official Ferrari test, focused on front-wing flex testing rather than outright pace.
The SF-25 looked sharp on turn-in but occasionally unsettled, with Hamilton experiencing slight oversteer in the morning. While Ferrari isn’t far off, they haven’t quite shown the raw pace of McLaren or Mercedes—yet.
Williams and Alpine Impress
Williams had an exciting first day, with Carlos Sainz posting the fifth-fastest time in his new team colors. The FW47 looked surprisingly competitive, keeping pace with Ferrari.
Alpine also had a positive F1 Testing Day One, with Pierre Gasly finishing sixth. His car looked stable on corner entries, a good sign after last year’s struggles.
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Aston Martin & Haas Prioritise Long Runs
Aston Martin focused on race simulations, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completing limited but valuable laps. The AMR25 looked compliant through high-speed corners, but its true pace remains unknown.
Haas, meanwhile, took a high-fuel, endurance approach. Esteban Ocon logged the most laps, while rookie Ollie Bearman ended last but gained crucial experience.
F1 Testing Day One: Final Standings
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1m30.430s |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.157s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.244s |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.448s |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.525s |
| 6 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.923s |
| 7 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.998s |
| 8 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | +1.130s |
| 9 | Alex Albon | Williams | +1.143s |
| 10 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +1.180s |
| 11 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +1.201s |
| 12 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.260s |
| 13 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +1.404s |
| 14 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | +1.411s |
| 15 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.444s |
| 16 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.519s |
| 17 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +1.654s |
| 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | +1.739s |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +3.170s |
| 20 | Ollie Bearman | Haas | +5.092s |
What Did We Learn from F1 Testing Day One?
- McLaren means business – Fastest lap, consistent pace, and a confident Norris.
- Mercedes is back in the fight – Stable, predictable, and quick out of the gate.
- Red Bull has work to do – The RB21 isn’t perfect, but Verstappen can never be counted out.
- Ferrari is solid but not spectacular – More data needed before judgment.
- Williams & Alpine are surprise contenders – Strong opening day for both.
With two more days of testing ahead, teams will refine their setups, gather more data, and push harder. F1 Testing Day One set the tone—but the real story is still unfolding.
Stay tuned for more F1 Testing coverage as Bahrain’s pre-season action continues.
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Featured Image courtesy of Scuderia Ferrari