This year’s Formula One pre-season testing held in Bahrain gave us a blurry picture of what we can expect in the 2025 season. The pre-season testing consisted of three days and 3896 laps. McLaren and Williams made the headlines as their performances were prominent. This piece will discuss how each team performed in pre-season testing and their strengths and weaknesses.
Sauber
Sauber had a disappointing three days in Bahrain. They were the slowest team in terms of lap times, and their race simulations were not impressive. The car was also the trickiest to handle among the other cars on the grid. There were setup issues, such as the car running too stiff, which indicates a narrow setup window that limits the driver’s comfort.
Both drivers showed concerns Nicko Hulkenburg admitted the car’s baseline was not great. The team spent a significant amount of time in the garage, addressing issues. Sauber is expected to end up at the end of the grid this season.
Racing Bulls
The Racing Bulls had a smooth testing weekend. The team worked on the under-steer issues which were prominent throughout testing. They tried to rectify the issues but slight front-end limitations were present. The team was able to achieve good mileage and collect data. Yuki Tsuanads showed promising potential.
In a nutshell, it was a smooth trouble free testing session for Racing Bulls and provided a solid foundation.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin completed 306 laps and was the second-slowest team after Red Bull. Lap times were inconclusive but not impressive. Drivers were reluctant to avoid rear-end instability which cost the time.
The issues remain such as stability improvements might have not gone as far as the team would have expected. Team principal Andy Cowell said that progress has been made. However, Fernando Alonso predicts that this season will end as the last one and the team will struggle this season.
Haas
Haas had the ninth-fastest team in terms of lap times. Just like last year Haas prioritized heavy-fuel race simulations, making performance hard to judge. This year’s Haas car looks well-rounded with some low-speed understeer but no clear signs it can match last year’s strong late-season form—at least not yet.
There were minor bodywork issues. During one of the sessions when Oliver Bearman was driving his engine cover blew off. This issue was quickly resolved. Overall Hass looks like a decent mid-field team. To quote the team principal Ayao Komatsu they are “in the ballpark” but unsure of their exact standing.
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Alpine
Alpine’s this year’s test run was starkly different from last year’s Bahrain test run which was a mess. This year the car has improved a lot and is a contender in midfield. 2025 F1 testing showed that Alpine will challenge Williams in midfield.
Aline ran with more fuel than Williams and still showed a similar pace. The Enstone-based team will be challenging for P5. Both drivers Jack Dohan and Pierre Gasely were satisfied with the car.
Williams
Williams made the headlines in F1 2025 pre-season testing. Both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz were satisfied with their new ride after testing. Sainz set the fastest lap time of three days with 1 minute and 29. 348 seconds. The FW 47 was consistent on the long runs Carlos Sainz drove 127 laps on 27 February followed by Alex Albon’s 137 laps on the next day.
Talking about the technical aspect of the car, Willams uses Mercedes rear suspension. It has been integrated well and the car looks planted on the ground. The car looked impressive throughout the testing but occasionally caught drivers out.
With this consistency and speed, Williams can be a strong midfield contender. Alpine seems to be their direct competitor however from testing it is difficult to make the comparison as Williams was running higher engine modes and higher fuel loads than Alpine.
Carlos Sainz’s expectations are realistic as the Spaniard believes the team has not made a leap to fight for the front.
Red Bull
Last year’s WDC champions’ main task was to address the issues that arose during the second half of the 2024 season. Coming into Bahrain for 2025 pre-season testing it was revealed that RB 21 is strikingly similar to its predecessor. Although it is quick but has also inherited the flaws of its predecessor. Track-side observation showed the inconsistency in turn-in and rotation when pushing.
Car was promising on day one but lacked during full race simulations on the final day. Max Verstappen admitted that the car has potential but he wasn’t overly enthusiastic. Technical Director Pierre Wache acknowledged that the car did not respond as expected and needed improvements.
Red Bull worked on fine-tuning the car even using flo-vis paint in the final hours—an unusual move for the team. There is a lot of work to do for the Austrian team before the Australian Grand Prix. If the team finds the right set up it has the highest potential to leap forward among the leading teams.
Ferrari
Ferrari’s SF 25 showed mixed signals and showed a glimpse of strong performance but was inconsistent on the final day. The car occasionally suffered from understeer, rear sliding, and tire wear problems. The Car seemed disappointing when compared to McLaren and Mercedes.
Despite its flaws, the car looked strong and had corner turn-ins. Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Team Principal Fred Vesseure seemed satisfied with the car. Ferrari will be the dark horse at the front.
Mercedes
The W16 looked balanced and both George Russel and Kimi Antenoli looked confident. Overall there was a positive mood in Mercedes camp throughout testing. Antonelli was the most impressive among the rookies. He was constantly challenging his teammate in terms of raw pace.
However, there is still room for improvement such as the front brake locking issue though minor but was persistent throughout the testing. The car’s real performance will be tested in the heat conditions under Bahrain’s cooler weather might not be clear. The car is still below par compared to competitor Mclaren.
Mclaren
Mclaren’s winter break was very productive. The ML 39 dominated despite being the fifth fastest in terms of lap time dominated in long run pace. McLaren has the fastest car on the grid. Both drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri seemed satisfied.
Team principal Andrea Stela noted that some rear-end movement can be beneficial, Particularly in Bahrain. There is still room for improvement Lando Norris admitted that there are issues with the stability in tight corners.
Although Mclaren has the fastest car they won’t enjoy the same dominance as Red Bull did a few years ago. It will be a tight contest.
Key Takeaways From F1 2025 Pre-Season Testing
- McLaren are top contenders with a strong race pace but they still have to work on rear instability issues.
- Mercedes car is well-balanced consistent and can challenge Mclaren. Andrea Kimi Antonelli stood out among the Rokkies and he impressed with his raw pace.
- Ferrari was competitive but inconsistent. The SF 25 occasionally showed occasional understeer, rear sliding, and tire wear issues.
- Williams impressed with their speed and are closely contesting for the top spot in midfield with Alpine.
- Alpine Showed significant improvement from last year’s run.
- Racing Bulls are solid midfield Contenders with slight issues related to understeer but nothing serious to worry about.
- Stability concerns persist for Aston Martin. It is expected that they will struggle earlier in the season.
- Red Bull’s performance is most unpredictable. RB 21 is quick but tricky to handle balance issues and inconsistent rotation in corners. Requires setup work before Australia.
