Pre-season testing in Bahrain seems to have given the F1 teams a clear indication of who is on top going into 2025.
McLaren finished the 2024 campaign with the strongest package – evidenced by Lando Norris’ dominant win in Abu Dhabi. The Woking-based outfit grabbed their first constructors’ title in 26 years as the Brit and Oscar Piastri grabbed six wins and 21 podiums between them.
Norris missed out on the drivers’ title to Max Verstappen by 63 points after the Dutchman’s commanding start to the year. But the pace of the McLaren and the 24-year-old’s now proven ability to fight for a championship have made them favourites in 2025.
The team confirmed that over pre-season testing in Bahrain with their impressive one-lap pace and race simulations. The F1 paddock cannot dispute McLaren being on top in the pecking order after their outing in Sakhir.
McLaren’s performance was reminiscent of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna with their ability to turn up to Bahrain and blitz the field. Norris and Piastri will be brimming with confidence going into the Australian Grand Prix, but they will face competition from their rivals.
Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are all looking to challenge McLaren, with the order of those three teams appearing interchangeable behind the Woking squad. But Guenther Steiner was expecting more from one of the F1 giants,
Guenther Steiner expected Ferrari to be closer to McLaren during pre-season testing
Testing in Bahrain was a perfect opportunity for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to get accustomed to their 2025 Ferrari ahead of the race in Melbourne.
The former seemed comfortable with the car on day two as Hamilton went faster than Carlos Sainz’s best lap in 2024 testing. Surprisingly though, the 40-year-old completed the fourth-least amount of laps over the three days in Bahrain.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
There were some encouraging signs from Ferrari, but it was clear they were behind McLaren after testing. While they seemed closer than Red Bull – Helmut Marko admitted McLaren were two or three tenths ahead – Steiner expected more from the Maranello outfit.
Talking about McLaren after Bahrain, Steiner said via RTL Sport: “I think they are a favourite, you can take away the small thing, I think they are the favourites. What they have shown in the tests you can see that they are good, they were good last year, it’s not unexpected.
“But they managed to do it, I think they can do even better because everyone has made progress and I don’t think anyone has really come any closer.
“I think McLaren has moved further away, that was the aim. I expected Ferrari to maybe come a little closer but at the moment it doesn’t seem that way to me.”
How Lewis Hamilton is ‘slightly underprepared’ going into his first race with Ferrari
Ferrari will be gunning for the title in 2025. The Maranello outfit missed out to McLaren in the constructors’ championship last year by 14 points – they have not won it since 2008.
Hamilton is more motivated than ever after his move to Mercedes to perform and fight for a record-eighth title. The Brit has been preparing extensively behind the scenes with four private tests and long hours at the Maranello factory.
But Ferrari will be perhaps disappointed with how pre-season went in Bahrain. Only Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Lance Stroll completed fewer laps than Hamilton.
Hamilton’s low mileage leaves him ‘slightly underprepared’ for the season opener in Melbourne. Nevertheless, the seven-time champion and Ferrari will be optimistic that they can challenge for victory against McLaren.
