Bahrain Testing Day 1: Best and Worst Performers

The first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain has wrapped up, giving us an early glimpse into the 2025 Formula 1 pecking order. Lando Norris topped the timesheets with a fastest lap of 1m30.430s, but as always in testing, lap times don’t tell the full story.

Best Overall Performer:
From what we saw today, Max Verstappen remains a strong contender, with Red Bull showing impressive reliability throughout the session. His fastest lap was just a fraction behind George Russell’s P2 time, and his 78 laps underline the team’s consistent run plan. Red Bull’s smooth day suggests there’s little doubt Verstappen will be fighting at the top once again this season.

McLaren’s strong showing was no surprise at all given their momentum from the second half of last season, where they consistently fought at the front. Norris’ 52 laps after an earlier delay were a positive recovery, while Mercedes also looked strong. Russell’s second-place finish and Antonelli setting the fastest lap of the morning session indicate promising signs for the Silver Arrows.

But when it comes to sheer workload, Esteban Ocon stole the show, completing an impressive 88 laps for Haas—the highest of any driver.

Biggest Disappointment – Aston Martin:
The biggest surprise—and not in a good way—came from Aston Martin. With Adrian Newey now part of the team, expectations were high, but their first day of testing didn’t inspire much confidence. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed just 46 and 42 laps, respectively—the lowest mileage of any team. This lack of running could put them on the back foot compared to their rivals.

With two more days of testing ahead, all eyes will be on Aston Martin to see if they can recover, while Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes look set to continue fine-tuning their already strong packages.