F1: McLaren’s Lando Norris Leads Opening Day of Bahrain Pre-Season Testing

The 2025 F1 Bahrain test saw a two-hour stoppage due to a power failure, affecting floodlights and facilities, leading to an extended session by an hour.

By Divyam Dubey

27 Feb, 2025

1 min read

Lando Norris set the fastest time on the first day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, despite a power outage that briefly halted proceedings. The McLaren driver led by 0.157 seconds over Mercedes’ George Russell, with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc completing the top four. A sudden electrical failure caused an hour-long stoppage in the afternoon, turning the pit lane into darkness and disrupting team schedules. Mechanics scrambled to adapt, but the lost time was later added to the session’s end to ensure more track action. Mercedes’ 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was impressed by topping the morning session and finishing seventh overall.

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Lewis Hamilton, also running in the morning when times were generally slower, placed fifth. However, test times are not always reliable indicators of actual race performance due to differing strategies.

Hamilton’s high-profile switch to Ferrari remains a major storyline. The 40-year-old left Mercedes after 12 years, where he won six of his seven world titles. He has teamed up with Leclerc for 2025, adding more excitement to the season.

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The morning session also featured key drivers like Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin). Their laps provided valuable data as teams fine-tuned their cars for the upcoming season.

Pos	Driver	Team	Time	Laps
1	Lando Norris	McLaren	1m30.430s	52
2	George Russell	Mercedes	1m30.587s	70
3	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1n30.674s	74
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1m30.878s	71
5	Carlos Sainz	Williams	1m30.955s	68
6	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	1m31.353s	72
7	Andrea Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1m31.428s	78
8	Liam Lawson	Red Bull	1m31.560s	58
9	Alex Albon	Williams	1m31.573s	63
10	Yuki Tsunoda	Racing Bulls	1m31.610s	78
11	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	1m31.631s	76
12	Gabriel Bortoleto	Sauber	1m31.690s	59
13	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	1m31.834s	70
14	Jack Doohan	Alpine	1m31.841s	68
15	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1m31.874s	46
16	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1m31.949s	42
17	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1m32.084s	66
18	Nico Hulkenberg	Sauber	1m32.169s	55
19	Esteban Ocon	Haas	1m33.600s	88
20	Oliver Bearman	Haas	1m35.522s	72

Each team can only run one car at a time during testing, making every lap crucial. The test sessions allow teams to assess performance, gather data, and make necessary adjustments before the season opener.

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With Day 1 complete, teams now focus on Day 2 of testing. As Bahrain hosts more track action, fans and analysts eagerly watch for further clues about the pecking order for the 2025 season.