Lando Norris Tops the Charts on Day 1 of Bahrain Pre-Season Testing

The highly anticipated 2025 Formula 1 pre-season testing kicked off at the Bahrain International Circuit, and Lando Norris made a strong statement by setting the fastest time of the day. The McLaren driver clocked an impressive lap during an extended afternoon session, demonstrating that the Woking-based team may have taken a significant step forward ahead of the new season. 

A Strong Start to Testing

After each team ran one of their drivers in the morning session, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time while logging an impressive 78 laps, tied for the highest lap count of the session. As the afternoon session began at 1500 local time, the remaining drivers took to the track to complete their first pre-season running.

Rookie Isack Hadjar was the first to hit the track for Racing Bulls, and he became the first driver to spin out, though he escaped without any damage. Soon after, reigning World Champion Max Verstappen and others joined the circuit, leading to an increase in on-track action.

George Russell took the early lead in the session, surpassing his Mercedes teammate Antonelli on the timesheets before Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set an even faster time with a 1m 30.878s lap. However, proceedings were briefly halted when a power outage at the circuit brought out the red flags, causing a significant delay.

Morning Session: Mercedes’ Young Gun Impresses

The first half of the opening day saw each team assigning one driver to take the wheel. Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli was the standout performer, topping the timesheets with an impressive pace while also recording the joint-highest lap count of 78. The young Italian, making his testing debut for the Silver Arrows, showcased promising speed and consistency, proving why he is a highly-rated prospect.

Isack Hadjar, a rookie for Racing Bulls, was the first to hit the track when the session began, though he also had the dubious honor of being the first driver to spin. Fortunately, no damage was done, and he was able to continue with his testing program. Meanwhile, other notable names, including reigning world champion Max Verstappen, joined the action, steadily increasing their mileage.

Afternoon Session: Drama, Delays, and Norris’ Fastest Lap

With new drivers swapping into the cockpits, the afternoon session saw an increase in intensity. George Russell briefly took over as the fastest driver, surpassing his Mercedes teammate Antonelli, before Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc posted the best lap of 1m 30.878s.

However, testing was suddenly halted when a power cut at the circuit caused a red flag, pausing all on-track activity. This unexpected delay disrupted the teams’ plans, leading to an extension of the session by an extra hour to compensate for the lost time. As the session resumed under the Bahrain floodlights, the conditions began to shift, with light rain adding an extra challenge for the drivers.

Despite the delay, Lando Norris managed to clock the fastest lap of the day at 1m 30.430s, putting McLaren at the top of the leaderboard. His time was 0.157s quicker than Mercedes’ George Russell, while Max Verstappen secured third place in the Red Bull RB21.

Top 10 Standings at the End of Day 1

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1m 30.430s

2. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.157s

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.448s

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.610s

5. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +0.823s

6. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1.023s

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +1.104s

8. Liam Lawson (Red Bull) – +1.250s

9. Alex Albon (Williams) – +1.365s

10. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) – +1.420s

Mixed Fortunes Across the Grid

As expected, different teams focused on various run plans, leading to mixed results. Carlos Sainz, preparing for his debut season with Williams, secured an impressive fifth-fastest time, while his former Ferrari teammate Leclerc finished fourth in a solid outing for the Scuderia.

Further down the standings, rookies and reserve drivers continued to gather valuable mileage. Hadjar finished P11, while fellow newcomer Gabriel Bortoleto secured P12 for Kick Sauber. Lewis Hamilton, Jack Doohan, and Fernando Alonso finished P13 to P15, respectively, after their morning session times held firm.

Concerns for Aston Martin and Haas

It was a challenging day for Aston Martin, with Lance Stroll logging the fewest laps (41) of the day and finishing in P16. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri and Nico Hulkenberg ended in P17 and P18, with Haas duo Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman rounding out the standings in P19 and P20.

Haas ran a different testing program compared to their rivals, prioritizing long-run data collection over outright lap times. This strategy suggests they are focusing on race pace and tire management, rather than chasing one-lap speed.  Haas ran an alternative testing programme, focusing on long runs rather than outright pace.

Key Takeaways from Day 1 of Testing

1. McLaren Shows Early Promise – Lando Norris’ fastest lap is a positive sign for McLaren fans hoping for a competitive season.

2. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli Impresses – The young Italian had a strong debut, showing that he could be a future star.

3. Ferrari Consistency – Both Leclerc and Sainz finished in the top five, demonstrating that the Scuderia might be in the mix.

4. Red Bull’s Steady Start – While Verstappen finished third, he and Liam Lawson completed a productive day of testing.

5. Testing Troubles for Aston Martin and Haas – Low mileage and lack of top speed raise early concerns for both teams.

What’s Next?

The action continues with Day 2 of pre-season testing set to begin at 10:00 AM local time on Thursday. Teams will be looking to refine their setups, test new components, and maximize performance before the final day of testing. 

The teams and drivers will be back on track for Day 2 of pre-season testing on Thursday, with the morning session scheduled to begin at 1000 local time. With teams still gathering valuable data and drivers getting acclimated to their new cars, fans can expect more exciting developments as testing continues.

With only a few days left before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, all eyes will be on the teams and drivers to see who can establish themselves as early contenders. Will McLaren maintain their edge? Can Red Bull and Ferrari respond? And will Mercedes’ young talent continue to shine?