Lando Norris Leads the Charge as Pre-Season Testing Kicks Off in Bahrain

The 2025 Formula 1 season is officially underway, with the first day of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling year. At the end of a dramatic and eventful opening day, it was Lando Norris who emerged on top, as the McLaren driver clocked the fastest lap of the day during the extended afternoon session.

A Day of Two Halves: Morning vs Afternoon Running

Pre-season testing traditionally sees teams split their track time between two drivers, with the morning session hosting one set of names before the others take over in the afternoon.

It was Mercedes' young prospect Kimi Antonelli who set the benchmark early on, posting the fastest time of the morning session while also matching the day's highest lap count with an impressive 78 laps. The Italian rookie, widely regarded as a future star, showed poise and consistency, offering Mercedes a solid foundation as they embark on another championship campaign.

Meanwhile, Racing Bulls' debutant Isack Hadjar had the dubious honor of being the first spinner of the test, though he escaped without damage. Elsewhere, defending champion Max Verstappen made his first appearance on track, as teams began to push their new machines to the limit.

Afternoon Drama: Red Flags, Rain, and a Late Night Push

The afternoon session kicked off with high expectations as the remaining drivers took to the circuit. George Russell momentarily dethroned his teammate Antonelli at the top of the timesheets before Ferrari's Charles Leclerc laid down a competitive 1m 30.878s to take P1.

However, just as the session reached its peak, proceedings came to a halt due to a power outage at the circuit, bringing out the red flags. With the unexpected stoppage disrupting planned run programs, the FIA made the call to extend the session by an extra hour, allowing teams to make up for lost time.

As the sun set and floodlights illuminated the Bahrain track, teams switched to representative race conditions, fine-tuning their setups in the cooling desert temperatures. The change in track dynamics saw times tumble, and in the final flurry of laps, Lando Norris delivered a 1m 30.430s, edging out Russell by 0.157s to end the day as the fastest driver.

Key Takeaways from Day 1

While Norris' late surge put McLaren at the top of the leaderboard, the bigger picture remains a complex puzzle, with teams running varying programs and fuel loads. Here are some notable observations from the opening day:

Mercedes Shows Early Promise -- Both Russell and Antonelli demonstrated strong pace, with the latter proving to be more than capable despite his inexperience. The Silver Arrows seem to have a well-balanced package for 2025.
Verstappen Keeping It Steady -- The three-time World Champion finished third on the timesheets, avoiding unnecessary risks and focusing on race simulation.
Leclerc and Ferrari in the Mix -- A P4 finish for Leclerc and consistent running from Ferrari indicate that the Scuderia is not far off the pace.
Sainz's New Chapter with Williams -- Having made the surprising switch to Williams, Carlos Sainz put in a solid P5 performance, showing encouraging early signs for his new team.
Haas Running a Different Game -- Both Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman finished at the bottom of the timesheets as Haas opted for an alternative testing strategy.

Day 2 on the Horizon

With Day 1 in the books, all eyes now turn to Thursday's session, where teams will continue to refine their setups and gather crucial data ahead of the season opener. The morning session kicks off at 10:00 AM local time, and with more upgrades likely to be tested, the battle to decode the pecking order will intensify.

Will McLaren maintain their strong start? Can Mercedes continue their resurgence? And how much are Red Bull hiding in their pocket? The answers will start to emerge as testing progresses in Bahrain.