Bahrain Winter Testing – Day 3: Russell Leads on Final Day

The final day of the 2025 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain concluded with George Russell topping the timesheets. The Mercedes driver waited until the final minutes of the session to set a lap time of 1:29.545, narrowly dethroning Max Verstappen. The last day of testing was full of twists and turns, with unexpected red flags and surprising performances.

Russell, who took over from his young teammate Kimi Antonelli during the afternoon session, took some time to find his rhythm before settling comfortably into the W16. The Briton had joked earlier in the day that he should stay on his toes with the arrival of the young prodigy Antonelli, chosen to replace Lewis Hamilton who left for Ferrari.

Red Bull facing unusual difficulties

Despite his second place in the final standings, Max Verstappen did not seem perfectly comfortable with his RB21. The reigning world champion experienced several difficult moments, including a spin in the final minutes at the entrance of turn 1, at the same spot where Esteban Ocon had lost control of his Haas just moments earlier.

The Austrian single-seater did not seem as dialed in as usual, with a precarious balance between understeer and oversteer. Verstappen spent much of the session correcting his trajectory, suggesting that the world champion team might still have work to do before the first Grand Prix.

Williams continues to surprise.

Alex Albon confirmed the good impressions left by Williams this week. After Carlos Sainz’s best time the day before (1:29.348), the Thai driver took third place on this final day with a time of 1:29.650 on C4 tires, which are softer than those used by Russell and Verstappen. Albon was the most active driver of the day with 137 laps completed, demonstrating the impressive reliability of the FW47.

The consistent performance of Williams during these tests suggests that the Grove team could be the surprise of the early 2025 season, with a particularly promising driver duo of Sainz-Albon.

McLaren confirms its potential

Oscar Piastri placed his McLaren in fourth position with a time of 1:29.940, confirming the positive vibes emanating from the British team since the start of testing. The Australian, who is preparing for his home Grand Prix in Melbourne in two weeks, showed good consistency during his race simulations.

The MCL39 seems to have retained the qualities that allowed the team to challenge Red Bull at the end of last season. The data suggests that McLaren’s long runs are considerably faster than their race performances on the same circuit last year, an encouraging sign for the Woking team.

Alpine surprises, Ferrari remains discreet

The surprise of the day came from Alpine with Pierre Gasly, who held the top spot on the leaderboard for a long time before being displaced by Verstappen and then Russell. With a time of 1:30.040, the Frenchman demonstrated that the Enstone team may have made significant progress during the winter.

On the Ferrari side, Lewis Hamilton had to settle for sixth place with a time of 1:30.345 and only 47 laps completed. The seven-time world champion, who was supposed to complete his first full race simulation under the Scuderia’s colors, saw his session shortened when the team covered the pits with screens, a sign that major interventions were underway on the SF-25. A setback that could be concerning as the first Grand Prix looms.

Hamilton seems to have quickly adapted to his new mount, appearing comfortable in the Ferrari cockpit from his first laps. This rapid transition could prove crucial for his ambitions with the Italian team.

A busy day

The day was anything but restful for the teams, with a surprising red flag at the start of the session caused by… a shuttle bus lost in the runoff at turn 10. An unusual incident that adds to the power outages and rain from previous days, making these 2025 tests in Bahrain one of the most atypical in recent memory.

On the drivers’ side, Lance Stroll had to give up his seat to Fernando Alonso in the middle of the session this afternoon after feeling unwell. The Spaniard had already driven in the morning as a replacement for his teammate. The team confirmed that Stroll was unwell, without giving more details about his condition.

On the way to Melbourne

As the teams now pack up their equipment and analyze the data collected during these three days of testing, all eyes turn to the Australian Grand Prix, which will officially kick off the 2025 season in two weeks.

If Mercedes finishes these tests on a positive note, the hierarchy remains unclear with very close performances between the four leading teams. Red Bull maintains its status as favorite despite the small difficulties encountered, while McLaren and Ferrari seem ready to play the spoiler. The biggest unknown remains Williams, which could well create a surprise during the first races.