Bahrain F1 pre-season testing recap: Russell tops Verstappen, Norris gains odds boost, & Williams emerges as a dark horse for 2025.
Bahrain Pre Season testing recap and updated betting odds for 2025 opener
The 2025 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain concluded dramatically, as Mercedes’ George Russell snatched the fastest lap from Max Verstappen in the final moments of the three-day event.
Russell’s blistering 1:29.545 lap on C3 tires was just enough to edge out the reigning World Champion by 0.021 seconds, setting the stage for an exciting season opener in Melbourne.
Red Bull’s Verstappen, who had shown strong pace throughout the final session, was denied the top spot in the closing minutes.
Williams’ Alex Albon also impressed, securing third place and capping off a strong testing phase for the resurgent team.
The sessions also saw standout performances from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Now driving for Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton ended his test run in sixth place.
While showing solid adaptation to his new team, he is still finding his footing.
The Brit had topped the timesheets in Day Two’s morning session before Williams’ Carlos Sainz edged him out by just 0.031 seconds.
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Fastest Laps
| Driver | Team | Test Day | Lap Time | Tire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Sainz | Williams | Day Two | 1:29.348 | C3 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | Day Two | 1:29.379 | C3 |
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | Day Two | 1:29.431 | C3 |
| George Russell | Mercedes | Day Three | 1:29.545 | C3 |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Day Three | 1:29.566 | C3 |
| Alex Albon | Williams | Day Three | 1:29.650 | C4 |
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | Day Two | 1:29.784 | C3 |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren | Day Three | 1:29.940 | C3 |
| Pierre Gasly | Alpine | Day Three | 1:30.040 | C3 |
| Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | Day Two | 1:30.229 | C3 |
| Liam Lawson | Red Bull | Day Two | 1:30.252 | C3 |
| Jack Doohan | Alpine | Day Two | 1:30.368 | C3 |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | Day One | 1:30.430 | C3 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | Day Three | 1:30.497 | C3 |
| Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | Day Two | 1:30.675 | C4 |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Day Two | 1:30.700 | C3 |
| Esteban Ocon | Haas | Day Three | 1:30.728 | C3 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | Day Two | 1:31.057 | C3 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | Day Two | 1:31.457 | C3 |
| Oliver Bearman | Haas | Day Three | 1:32.361 | C3 |
Concluding Bahrain’s pre-season testing, top sportsbooks have shifted the odds in to Lando Norris’ favor.
Nags.bet has Norris currently at $2.70 after showing a snippet of the MCL39’s pace on day 1.
Whilst Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has drifted out to $4 with Nags.bet after mediocre testing for Red Bull.
Aston Martin encountered a difficult test session, as Lance Stroll fell ill, forcing Fernando Alonso to take over mid-session.
Despite battling a cold, the veteran Spaniard returned to the track under the floodlights to complete crucial laps.
Meanwhile, Haas faced technical setbacks when a piece of their engine cover detached, disrupting their morning session. However, Esteban Ocon managed to recover and logged over 100 laps.
Beyond individual performances, the mileage statistics provided intriguing insights.
Mercedes completed the most laps with 458 across three days, closely followed by Haas (457) and Racing Bulls (454).
Red Bull and Aston Martin, however, struggled with reliability issues, completing just over 300 laps each.
*Williams, bolstered by Sainz and Albon’s strong runs, finished with 395 laps, positioning them well for the season opener.
With pre-season testing now complete, all eyes turn to Melbourne, where Formula 1 officially kicks off its 2025 season from March 14-16.
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