Morning Session Highlights

The morning session concluded with Leclerc posting the fastest time of 1’30″811. Antonelli followed closely behind, with Norris, Verstappen, and doohan rounding out the top five. The session was not without its interruptions, as a red flag was issued due to debris on the track.

The incident occurred when glass from the healing of officials apparently fell onto the circuit,necessitating a brief stoppage for cleanup. Despite the delay, teams were able to resume testing and continue their programs.

Red Bull introduced a notable update to their car, featuring a new engine cover with a large opening at the rear, designed to improve airflow and cooling. This change suggests the team is actively working to optimize their car’s performance ahead of the season.

Other notable events from the morning session included Bortoleto’s return to the track after spending nearly two hours in the garage. Norris also experienced a setback when his car was placed on cylinders, with mechanics working on the underside of the MCL39. It remained uncertain if Norris would participate in the remaining 20 minutes of the session.

Driver Lineups for Day 3

The driver lineups for the final day of testing saw several teams splitting duties between their drivers. Here’s a breakdown of which drivers were scheduled to drive in the morning and afternoon sessions:

• McLaren: Norris (morning) / Piastri (afternoon)
• Ferrari: Leclerc (morning) / Hamilton (afternoon)
• Red Bull: Verstappen (daytime)
• Mercedes: Antonelli (morning) / russell (afternoon)
• Aston Martin: Alonso (morning) / Stroll (afternoon)
• Alpine: Doohan (morning) / Gasly (afternoon)
• Haas: Bearman (morning) / Ocon (afternoon)
• Racing Bulls: Hadjar (morning) / Tsunoda (afternoon)
• Williams: Albon (daytime)
• Sauber: Bortoleto (morning) / Hülkenberg (afternoon)

Session Timeline Highlights

Here’s a brief timeline of key moments from the morning session:

• 12:00 p.m.: End of the morning session. Leclerc sets the best time at 1’30″811.
• 11:55 a.m.: Final five minutes reserved for race management procedure checks.
• 11:45 a.m.: Verstappen concludes his running for the day.
• 11:38 a.m.: Norris’s session perhaps ends early due to mechanical issues.
• 11:24 a.m.: Green flag after a red flag period.
• 11:14 a.m.: red flag due to debris on the track.
• 11:00 a.m.: Red Bull introduces a new engine cover.

Leclerc Leads Bahrain Testing as Teams Focus on Aerodynamics and Long Relays

February 28,2025

Bahrain – Charles Leclerc continued to set the pace during the morning session of Bahrain testing.Teams are heavily focused on aerodynamic performance and executing long relays. Antonelli and Norris trail leclerc closely as the session progresses.

Morning Session Highlights

The morning session in Bahrain saw teams pushing their cars to the limit, with a particular emphasis on long relays and aerodynamic testing. Leclerc held the top spot, demonstrating strong pace early on. The focus wasn’t solely on outright speed, as teams like Alpine dedicated significant time to aerodynamic advancement.

As of the end of the third hour, the top three remained largely unchanged. The ranking has not realy moved with Leclerc still first ahead of antonelli and Norris, according to reports from the track.

Alpine was observed dedicating resources to aerodynamic improvements. The team was seen conducting extensive evaluations, suggesting a strategic focus on optimizing airflow and downforce.

Doohan’s Aero Testing

Further emphasizing the aerodynamic focus, Doohan returned to the track for additional testing. At 10:53 a.m., reports indicated, New aero test for Doohan returned to the track with flow-viz on the left part of the front suspension. The team was actively pushing Doohan, encouraging him to attack the turns to gather valuable data.

Verstappen’s Race Pace and Pit Stop Practice

Verstappen concentrated on race pace during an 11-lap relay. At 10:42 a.m., it was noted that The Dutchman worked on the racing pace and returned to his garage after training a pit stop. Verstappen finished the relay fourth, trailing Leclerc by 0.398 seconds.

An unusual incident involving Verstappen occurred around 10:28 a.m. Reports indicated, A Bleading Verstappen who sent a finger of honor above all kind to someone on the Williams wall. panic in the FIA ​​offices! The details surrounding this gesture remain unclear, but it certainly caused a stir.

Antonelli Closes the Gap

Antonelli made a strong push to challenge Leclerc’s lead. At 10:16 a.m., he recorded a purple first sector but ultimately fell just short. A first sector in purple but ultimately no enhancement, not even personal, for Antonelli who fails just over a tenth of Leclerc, the report stated. antonelli remained second, only 0.077 seconds behind Leclerc.

Mercedes’ Observation

Intrigue surrounded Mercedes’ activities,with suggestions of espionage. At 10:07 a.m., it was reported that Mercedes sent his secret agent to try to find the secrets of competition.

Norris Joins the Fray

As the second hour concluded at 10:00 a.m.,Norris found his rhythm,improving his position to third. The painting has changed somewhat with a Norris more in rhythm

Leclerc Leads, Antonelli Close behind

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of the morning, clocking in at 1 minute, 30.861 seconds. Antonelli closely matched the Monegasque driver’s pace,finishing just 0.027 seconds behind.the tight gap between the two suggests a potentially competitive season ahead, hinting at a fierce battle for supremacy.

Leclerc’s performance wasn’t without its moments. At 8:28 a.m., despite “a slight racket stroke in the last turn,” Leclerc improved his time by more than two tenths, dipping below the 1 minute, 31-second mark. This improvement came after Antonelli briefly held the top spot, showcasing the back-and-forth battle for the fastest lap. The push and pull between the drivers added an element of excitement to the testing session.

At 8:12 a.m., Leclerc initially took the lead with a lap of 1 minute, 31.583 seconds, only to improve further to 1 minute, 31.314 seconds shortly after. This series of fast laps demonstrated Ferrari’s commitment to maximizing their performance before the season begins. The team’s relentless pursuit of speed was evident in every adjustment and every lap.

Red Bull Introduces Upgrades, Focuses on Long Runs

Reigning champion Max verstappen spent the morning session focusing on long runs, gathering data on the Red Bull RB21’s performance over extended periods. At 8:36 a.m., Verstappen’s time was more than 5 seconds off Leclerc’s pace, indicating a different testing strategy. Red Bull’s approach highlighted the importance of reliability and race simulation.

Red Bull also used the session to evaluate new components. At 8:23 a.m., it was noted that Red Bull was testing “new parts on his RB21,” specifically a new front wing with a unique nose attachment. Pierre Waché, technical director, had confirmed the team’s intention to test new parts, initially planned for the Australian Grand Prix. This suggests that Red Bull is aggressively pursuing performance gains even before the season officially starts. The introduction of these new components underscores the relentless development race in Formula 1.

Verstappen increased his pace slightly at 8:43 a.m., setting a time of 1 minute, 31.442 seconds,just under 6 tenths of a second behind Leclerc. Shortly after, at 8:37 a.m., he improved again to 1 minute, 31.501 seconds, 0.640 seconds behind Leclerc. These incremental improvements indicate that Red Bull was gradually increasing the car’s performance throughout the session. The subtle gains reflect the meticulous nature of formula 1 engineering.

Aston Martin Faces Early Challenges

Aston Martin experienced a mixed morning. Fernando Alonso took over driving duties from Lance Stroll, who was feeling unwell. The team faced an early setback when Alonso’s AMR25 encountered a problem on track.The unexpected change in drivers and the subsequent mechanical issue disrupted Aston Martin’s testing program.

At 8:03 a.m., it was announced that Stroll would not drive in the morning session due to illness, with Alonso stepping in as his replacement. The team later confirmed this with a tweet:

An update on our #F1Testing lineup for today:

Overnight Lance wasn’t feeling 100%. fernando will now drive the car this morning and we’ll confirm our lineup for this afternoon in due course. pic.twitter.com/I6LrTgHI8n

Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1)

At 8:09 a.m., alonso’s car “immobilized himself at the end” of the pit lane, requiring mechanics to rush to his aid.After some “manipulations,” the car was brought back to the garage. Despite this issue, Alonso later returned to the track at 8:18 a.m. for a “recognition lap with the Pitot probes,” suggesting the team was able to resolve the problem quickly. The swift response from the mechanics prevented a more significant disruption to the team’s schedule.

Despite the early issues, Alonso was seen “seeking the limits of the AMR25” at the start of the session, even inducing “a cheeky little drift,” as highlighted in a tweet from Formula 1:

Fernando with a cheeky little drift 🤩#F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/yvxtYH8yRz

Formula 1 (@F1)

Haas Suffers Bodywork Issue

Haas also experienced a setback when Oliver Bearman lost a significant portion of his engine cover. At 8:30 a.m., it was reported that Bearman “lost a large part of his engine hood,” scattering debris on the straight.The English driver returned to the garage at low speed, indicating a potential issue with the car’s fixings. The bodywork failure highlighted the importance of aerodynamic integrity and the potential consequences of even minor component failures.

Weather Conditions Improve

The weather conditions in Bahrain were considerably better than the previous day. At 8:14 a.m., it was noted that “the sun shines above the sakhir layout and the temperatures are higher: 17 ° C in the air and 26 ° C on the ground.” These warmer temperatures likely influenced tire performance and overall car behaviour. The improved conditions allowed teams to gather more representative data for the upcoming season.

Additional Observations

Beyond the headline events, several other incidents and observations shaped the morning session. At 9:50 a.m., Sauber was observed working on Bortoleto’s car in the garage, with panels placed in front, suggesting potential issues with the rookie’s machine. Earlier, at 9:47 a.m., Bearman returned to the track after repairs to his engine cover, hoping the new fix would hold. Norris had a minor off-track excursion at Turn 4 at 9:42 a.m.,while Stroll’s fans received good news at 9:34 a.m. with the proclamation that he would return to driving duties on Friday afternoon. Leclerc continued to improve, extending his lead at 9:07 a.m., and Hadjar briefly entered the top five at 9:04 a.m., showcasing promising pace. By 9:00 a.m., as the first four hours concluded, Leclerc maintained his lead, followed by Antonelli, Verstappen, Albon, and Doohan, with Norris in tenth, not yet focused on outright lap times. These smaller stories paint a fuller picture of the intense activity and constant adjustments during testing.

Looking Ahead

As the morning session concluded, teams continued to analyze the data collected, preparing for the afternoon running. With the first race of the season in Australia just around the corner (March 14-16), every moment on track is crucial. For teams like williams and Red Bull, who ran only a single driver for the entire day (Albon and Verstappen, respectively), maximizing track time was paramount. The pressure is on as teams race against the clock to optimize their cars for the challenges ahead.

The final day of testing provided valuable insights into the potential performance of each team. While lap times are not always indicative of true pace, the data gathered will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the strategies and development plans for the upcoming season. The insights gained in Bahrain will be instrumental in determining the competitive landscape of the 2025 Formula 1 season.