Norris tops day one timesheet as F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2025 flags off at BIC

Norris tops day one timesheet as F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2025 flags off at BIC

• Norris and F1 constructors’ world champions McLaren set the pace on first of three days of running
• Mercedes’ Russell, Red Bull Racing’s Verstappen, and Ferrari’s Leclerc all within five-tenths from the leader

Formula 1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2025 got underway today in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, was the setting for the first of three days of exciting F1 action, featuring the sport’s complete grid as they gear up for the 2025 FIA F1 World Championship.

Lando Norris of constructors’ world champions McLaren set the fastest time of the day of 1:30.430 during the evening test session. Earlier during the morning runs, Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was quickest amongst the first group of 10 drivers to hit the track. His fastest lap of 1:31.428 was eventually the seventh best of the day.

Testing continues Thursday and Friday (Editor’s note: 27 and 28 February) at BIC, with both days open to fans. Spectators will be able to watch all the action from the circuit’s Main Grandstand. Gates are scheduled to open at 11am, with the tests running all day in two sessions – the morning from 10am to 2pm and the afternoon from 3pm to 7pm.

Tickets to F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2025 cost BD10 for adults and BD5 for kids, per day. They can be purchased online at bahraingp.com or by calling the BIC Hotline on +973-17450000.

Meanwhile, those who had purchased their tickets to the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 on or before 7 December, 2024, will have free access to the tests, making for an incredible two F1 events with one single ticket.

Norris set the best time today in McLaren’s MCL39 contender. Testing alongside him in the later session were four-time defending drivers’ world champion Max Verstappen in Red Bull Racing’s RB21, Charles Leclerc in Ferrari’s SF-25, George Russell in Mercedes’s W16, Lance Stroll in Aston Martin’s AMR25, Pierre Gasly in Alpine’s A525, Esteban Ocon in the VF-25 of Haas, Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls’ VCARB 02, Carlos Sainz in the Williams FW47, and Gabriel Bortoleto in Kick Sauber’s C45.

Hitting the track in the morning with early pace-setter Antonelli were Liam Lawson of Red Bull Racing, Alex Albon of Williams, Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls, Lewis Hamilton for Ferrari, Jack Doohan for Alpine, Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin, Oscar Piastri for McLaren, Nico Hulkenberg for Kick Sauber, and Oliver Bearman for Haas.