Pre-season testing is done and dusted, but David Croft and Karun Chandhok believe one team in particular will have left Bahrain feeling disappointed with their 2025 car.
Mercedes driver George Russell finished F1 testing at the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday posting the quickest lap of the day. The Briton lapped the Sakhir circuit in 1:29.545 to cap a positive few days for the Silver Arrows and help start their life without Lewis Hamilton.
Times in testing are largely meaningless but race simulations give a glimpse into the pecking order of the 10 teams. It is believed that McLaren have the best car after F1 testing, possibly ahead of Mercedes, with Ferrari playing catch up along with Red Bull ahead of the first race.
Racing Bulls will be the most disappointed team after F1 testing for David Croft and Karun Chandhok
But while the mood in the McLaren garage will be positive after testing, Croft and Chandhok agree that Visa Cash App Racing Bulls will leave Bahrain as the most disappointed outfit. The Faenza crew have slightly changed their team name from RB for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
This year’s one pre-season test was not perfect for Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar as Racing Bulls dialled the VCARB 02 in ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Alex Brundle even noticed that Racing Bull’s new F1 car ‘didn’t sound too healthy’ as Hadjar pulled out of their garage.
READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation
| RANK | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME |
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:29.545 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.021s |
| 3 | Alex Albon | Williams | +0.105s |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.395s |
| 5 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.495s |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.800s |
| 7 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +0.952s |
| 8 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.183s |
| 9 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +1.266s |
| 10 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +1.343s |
| 11 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +1.398s |
| 12 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | +1.694s |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +2.154s |
| 14 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | +2.181s |
| 15 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +2.216s |
| 16 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +2.539s |
| 17 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +2.602s |
| 18 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +2.816s |
Hadjar was the first driver to spin on Day One of testing, too, as the rookie got to grips with an F1 car. But the test rarely picked up for Racing Bulls after his pirouette to leave Croft and Chandhok tipping them to be the most disappointed after registering a combined 457 laps.
“I don’t think Racing Bulls are in desperate straits,” Croft said on Sky Sports F1. “But I don’t see anything that makes me think this car will come alive and be electric and on the fringes of that top 10 for Q3, which is where they want to be.”
To which, Chandhok replied: “I agree with you. I’ve not seen anything magical on the Racing Bulls. And Hadjar’s runs, the car still looks a bit edgy and a bit scrappy.”
Racing Bulls have deeply revised their F1 car with new suspension like the Red Bull RB20
Croft and Chandhok’s apprehensions regarding the £965m-valued Racing Bulls F1 team are well placed following this year’s sole pre-season test in Bahrain. But Tsunoda and Hadjar will hope their Faenza crew were not chasing lap times and focused on where they can improve.
READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know
What Tsunoda and Hadjar will hope is not the case is that the snappiness of the VCARB 02 in testing is a defining characteristic of Racing Bulls’ new car. The junior Red Bull squad will not want to waste resources on fixing the car ahead of F1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulations.
Racing Bulls have deeply revised their aerodynamics with the VCARB 02 while incorporating new front and rear suspension like last season’s Red Bull. The Faenza crew would likely have hoped those changes were enough to carry them through this year to focus on next season.
Leave feedback about this