F1 Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain Faces Disruptions and Highlights Competitive Field

Pre-season testing sees power outages, red flags, and competitive performances as teams prepare for the 2025 F1 season.

The final day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain was briefly interrupted when an unauthorized bus entered a service road, raising safety concerns.
Earlier disruptions included a shattered glass pane on the pit straight and a circuit-wide power outage on Day 1 caused by a substation failure.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton showed promising pace, with Leclerc topping the final morning session and Hamilton expressing satisfaction with his new car.
McLaren's Lando Norris, the 2024 constructors' champion, set the fastest time on Day 1, while Williams' Carlos Sainz led Day 2 with a strong performance.
Testing lap times remain unreliable indicators of true performance, with teams running varied programs ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 16.