Heroics Into Saint Devote

Here we are then, everybody. Day One of Three of Pre-Season testing for the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship season. And after the triumph of Verstappen for the fourth year running in 2024, what a year we could have in store for this year. Could it be a first World Championship for fan-favourite Lando Norris? Or could Verstappen bring the fight back to him? And what about one Sir Lewis Hamilton, now in the Scuderia’s stables? (What a photograph, by the way.) So here I am, sitting before the TV, three pens in one hand and my trusty notebook in the other. Here. We. Go.

Here goes. The first AM session of the three days started out in cool conditions, with gusty winds in places, especially around Turn 9. I think we’ll see plenty of lock-ups there! The first thing I notice is a peculiar opening on the rear of the engine cover of both the Mclaren MCL39 and the Ferrari SF-25. Two crescent-moon shaped holes, presumably to help cooling? Mercedes and Alpine also seem to share this on their W16 and the A525 respectively.

Oops! Lawson records the first spin of the 2025 season! The rear of his RB21 got loose through turn 2 of the Bahrain International Circuit as he touched the inside curbing. Then whilst trying to straighten out, he over-corrects on the exit and sends the car around. No dramas though. Nothing more than a flatspotted set of Pirelli P-Zeros.

Ah! A return of the famed ‘Cobra Wings’ on the Aston Martin AMR25. I do particularly like these details, as they give the car a more ‘fighter jet’ look about them in my humble opinion. Whilst I am not, and do not claim to be an aerodynamic engineer, I do wonder what the use of such winglets are. They’re positioned either side, toward the rear of the hale, where it meets the engine cover.

Ah. Jolyon Palmer is discussing McLaren’s new design philosophy for their front suspension this year. He claims the front wishbone introduces ‘Anti-Dive’ technology, which allows the front end of the car to be much stiffer, whilst not risking damage to the sensitive components of the floor. I do like this man and his insights. Smart man.

Watching Lawson attempting to push the RB21, without throwing it into a wall, brings to mind a previously known issue where the car suffers much more from minor ride-height changes. This has been a consistent weakness of the car whilst in the hands of Sergio Perez since 2022.

Another noticeable difference in components in the cars are the ‘Shark Fin’ elements which run atop the engine covers. McLaren for example, are running a short shark fin, which seems to encroach no more than an inch or so into the orange strip on the engine cover, whilst Ferrari’s is much longer and features a jagged edge. The mind doth boggle. Speaking of shark fins, the Haas VF-25 doesn’t even have one!

Now naturally, this is just 4 hours of the allotted 24 that these teams get to dust off their creations for the year, but I cannot help but be filled with an air of confidence. The final times for the session are in.

1. Andrea Kimi ANTONELLI – Mercedes AMG Petronas – 1:31:428
2. Liam LAWSON – Oracle Red Bull Racing – + 0.132
3. Alexander ALBON – Atlassian Williams Racing – + 0.145
4. Yuki TSUNODA – Racing Bulls – + 0.182
5. Lewis HAMILTON – Scuderia Ferrari HP – + 0.406
6. Jack DOOHAN – Alpine – + 0.413
7. Fernando ALONSO – Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team – +0.446
8. Oscar PIASTRI – McLaren – + 0.656
9. Nico HULKENBERG – Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber – + 0.741
10. Ollie BEARMAN – Moneygram Haas F1 Team – + 4.094

And that’s all for now folks!