Formula 1 is all about passion and enthusiasm. The fierce races always thrill the crowd, and no one wants to miss a single moment of this enthralling event. The 2024 F1 Season didn’t disappoint, ending on a high note in December. The drivers and cars didn’t take a break even after the season ended. They headed to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the post-season test, which featured both a Pirelli tire test and a Young Driver’s Test. This allowed teams to gather information and test their cars for the upcoming season. Big names like Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell participated in the tire test, while young drivers like Isack Hadjar took part in the Young Driver’s Test. Our drivers counted every moment, ensuring that the racing days ahead would be even more exciting for us. Since then, there haven’t been any official races, but the drivers have been busy preparing for the next season. The wait for the new season will end as the first pre-season test for the 2025 season is scheduled to be held in Bahrain from February 26 to 28, 2025. So, grab your seats and set your time free to watch this enthralling racing event, which is going to showcase all our favorite teams and drivers. With this, also get to know about your favourite sports in our website.
While all the drivers are highly talented and skilled, you might still wonder why they can’t begin directly with the racing instead of the F1 Pre-Season Test. Have you ever considered what F1 Pre-Season Testing is and why it is held? Let’s break down these questions.
F1 Pre-Season Tests are essential for ensuring that drivers are well-prepared. Through this, the drivers and the teams get to know about the newly designed machine, including the engine efficiency, fuel consumption, tire performance, and overall handling. Also, the drivers collect essential data on how other drivers compete in the race, preparing them to meet in the forthcoming races throughout the season. The F1 Pre-Season Test is conducted over three days, each day split into two halves of four hours each. Notably, only one car from each team is allowed at a time, so the drivers take turns accordingly, depending on the team’s decision. This gives an overview of why the F1 Pre-Season Test is done.
Another big question arising from the F1 Pre-Season Test is: Why do F1 cars use Flow-Vis Paint during Pre-Season Testing? Here is the answer: Flow-vis paint is used to determine the vehicle’s aerodynamic behavior. This paint highlights separation and efficiency areas, allowing engineers to identify aerodynamic issues. This helps make alterations and adjustments to the car before it heads to the main race.
Before seeing the schedule and match details for the forthcoming 2025 F1 Test, let’s quickly look at how the 2024 F1 Season ended. The 2024 season concluded with an action-packed finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 8, 2024. Max Verstappen took the victory home, securing his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship title, driving for Red Bull Racing. The Constructors’ Championship, awarded to the most successful team of the season, went to McLaren-Mercedes, marking their first title since 1998. The season was exciting, and the drivers never failed to surprise their audience.
The notable positions in the 2024 F1 Rankings in the Drivers’ section were filled by Max Verstappen with 437 points in first place, followed by Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz Jr., George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, and Pierre Gasly in tenth place with 42 points. The Constructors’ Standings, on the other hand, which is another crucial part of F1 racing, listed McLaren in first place with 666 points, followed by Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes AMG Motorsport, Aston Martin, Alpine, Haas F1 Team, Racing Bulls, Williams, and Sauber in tenth place with just 4 points. The 2024 F1 season, therefore, had its excitement, and now Formula One is marching towards a new beginning. With all the ten teams, Formula 1 is gearing up to appear in all three days of the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test at the Bahrain International Circuit.
2025 F1 Pre-Season Test Schedule:
Day 1: February 26, 2025 (Wednesday)
- Morning Session: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM local time
- Afternoon Session: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM local time
Day 2: February 27, 2025 (Thursday)
- Morning Session: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM local time
- Afternoon Session: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM local time
Day 3: February 28, 2025 (Friday)
- Morning Session: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM local time
- Afternoon Session: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM local time
2025 F1 Pre-Season Test – Bahrain International Circuit
The venue for the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test is scheduled to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit. The Bahrain International Circuit is chosen as the venue for several reasons. One main reason is that this circuit offers a mix of high-speed straights, tight corners, and elevation changes. This diverse layout helps drivers test various aspects of their cars’ performance, including aerodynamics and handling. Additionally, the weather conditions at the Bahrain Circuit are more consistent and favourable, making it an ideal location for testing.
The Bahrain International Circuit has been hosting F1 Pre-Season Testing since 2021, replacing the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The 2025 season marks the fifth consecutive year at this location. Let’s take a look at the details of this circuit below:
| Circuit Length | 5.412 km (3.363 miles) |
| Race Distance | 308.238 km |
| Number of Laps | 57 laps |
Where to Watch the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test?
The 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test is available to watch throughout the globe, so don’t worry, you can watch it from anywhere around the world. Let’s explore the channels with broadcasting rights for different regions:
Australia: Fans can watch the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test on Fox Sports and its associated streaming services Kayo and Foxtel Go.
United States: Viewers can watch the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test on ESPN+, where the testing sessions will be broadcasted live.
United Kingdom: You can watch the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test on Sky Sports F1. Additionally, Sky Sports customers can tune in through the Sky Go app.
Middle Eastern countries: The 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS. The channel will showcase all three days of coverage.
Germany: The Pre-Season Test of 2025 will be telecasted on Sky Deutschland, and viewers can watch the entire coverage of all three days.
As mentioned earlier, the Pre-Season Test will be available globally. Make sure you don’t miss any of the thrilling moments that will set the podium for many exciting and dominant performances throughout the three days.
Teams in the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test:
All the ten teams are scheduled to participate in the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test at the Bahrain International Circuit. The ten teams are as follows:
- Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team
- Red Bull Racing
- Scuderia Ferrari
- McLaren F1 Team
- Alpine F1 Team
- Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team
- Haas F1 Team
- Williams Racing
- Alfa Romeo Racing (Sauber)
- Racing Bulls
Every team is preparing for the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test, where they’ll fine-tune their cars, face the competition, and collect critical performance data before the season opener.
Transfers for the 2025 F1 Season:
The 2025 F1 Season is ready to unveil many exciting moments as it features notable transfers, including big names like Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, and more. This indicates that the season will be filled with engaging moments and highly notable turnarounds. Let’s eagerly await all the enthusiastic moments that the season has in store.
| Drivers | Prior Team | Moved To |
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | Ferrari |
| Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | Williams |
| Esteban Ocon | Alpine | Haas |
| Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri | Red Bull Racing |
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Prema in FIA Formula 2 | Mercedes |
| Jack Doohan | Virtuosi Racing | Alpine |
| Oliver Bearman | Ferrari and Haas as a reserve driver | Haas |
| Isack Hadjar | Campos in FIA Formula 2 | Racing Bulls |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Invicta in FIA Formula 2 | Sauber |
Predictions for the 2025 F1 Pre-Season Test:
The podium and the roads are all set for the test racing for the upcoming 2025 Formula 1 Season. Many changes have occurred after the 2024 Formula 1 Season ended, including the above-mentioned transfers. All the teams are expected to make a big bounce back in this test zone of the 2025 F1 season. The Red Bulls are coming back after a challenging year and are likely to make a strong move in this test session in Bahrain. Teams like McLaren and Ferrari have introduced significant design changes, which are expected to grab many eyes. However, all eyes will undoubtedly be on the veteran Lewis Hamilton, who has just transferred from Mercedes to Ferrari. It will be fascinating to watch him working with his new team. This test race will serve as a significant test for the matches ahead in the season.
With the transfers on one side, there are also new drivers entering the 2025 season, and they will be keenly watched. New drivers like Andrea Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes and Liam Lawson from Red Bull will be under high scrutiny and are expected to make a notable impact on the first day. All the teams will be focusing on their aerodynamics to gain a competitive edge throughout the season. They are expected to put up a strong performance at the beginning of the season, but Ferrari is likely to have an advantage. With the addition of Lewis Hamilton and the consistent performance of Charles Leclerc, Ferrari is looking to be a fierce contender throughout the season. The McLaren team, with talents like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, is also expected to be highly competitive.
As an F1 fan, it is essential to mention the Red Bull Racing team. Despite facing challenges in the 2024 season, they are still in the race with strong contender Max Verstappen and are expected to make a big turnaround this season. In addition, Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso, is also a main contender for the season. There are still many highly notable drivers and teams to watch this season. Hence, this season’s beginning is going to be full of thrills and excitement. Don’t miss out on this enthralling showdown and your favorite teams and drivers.
