Takeaways, pecking order from F1's preseason testing

The unofficial kickoff for Formula 1's 2025 season is in the books after preseason testing was completed in Bahrain. Just under two weeks remain until the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Here's what we learned from three days of testing.

McLaren early favorite

The main talking point after Bahrain isn't which team is the fastest - it's how far behind McLaren the others are. The reigning constructors' champion arrived to preseason testing with a car that appears to have taken many steps in the right direction from its MCL38 predecessor. That isn't too surprising considering the developments McLaren pursued last season also enhanced the car's performance.

What was especially ominous for the rest of the field was a long run from Lando Norris on Thursday afternoon. Norris' pace outclassed Ferrari and Mercedes' long run times, and while a lot of variables are invisible to the naked eye in preseason testing, there's no hiding how much more comfortable Norris seems in the cockpit compared to the rest of the grid.

Questions surrounding Ferrari, Red Bull

The two biggest figures coming into Bahrain were undoubtedly new Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton and reigning world champion Max Verstappen. However, it was anything but a smooth preseason for their respective teams.

Ferrari entered the test with early optimism Wednesday, but the air of hopefulness seemed to evaporate more and more with each passing day. Charles Leclerc appeared a step behind McLaren in long runs on the second day and instead challenged Mercedes in lap times. It went from bad to worse Friday, as Hamilton's long runs in the afternoon had only 10 and three laps of proper running, and the lap times were not pleasant. Remember, though, Hamilton isn't the only one experiencing change. Ferrari made a number of adjustments to the SF-25 car, including the front suspension. While it may eventually unlock the sought-after potential, there will be, as Bahrain demonstrated, growing pains.

McLaren will open as the favorite, but where Red Bull falls in the top four is anyone's guess. That's partially because the team completed fewer laps - just 304 - than any other constructor. A water-pressure issue left Liam Lawson out of the cockpit for a bit Thursday, while Verstappen and his crew tinkered in the garage for optimization during parts of Friday. That left the reigning drivers' champion with no time to put down a full race simulation, which McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes did over the final two days. The RB21, which surprised many by looking very similar to its volatile predecessor, still showed hints of the troubling flaws that were embedded in the RB20. Verstappen did impress after over one lap and the few times he strung together consecutive laps, but the truth of the RB21 will likely be revealed in Melbourne.

Mercedes could make it interesting

Mercedes was arguably the only candidate from the group of front-runners - outside McLaren - to end testing on a high. The Silver Arrows have the potential to throw a wrench in everyone's predictions if that strong finish isn't a mirage.

There was a lot to be happy about for Toto Wolff and the new-look Mercedes, now led by George Russell and supported by 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli did not look out of his depth, while Russell ended the final day with the fastest time. Russell's race simulation Friday was adrift from McLaren's Piastri on its first stint, but his final two stints surprisingly challenged Piastri. Antonelli's afternoon race run Thursday was in a similar ballpark as Leclerc's - a promising sign.

Bahrain's cooler-than-usual temperatures, which typically favored Mercedes in 2024, must be considered. Russell completed his impressive long run Friday about an hour later than Piastri. Mercedes' biggest deficit on the long runs also seemed to come on the C3 tire as opposed to the harder C2 or C1 compound. There are questions here, but this first impression suggests Mercedes is trending upward after last season.

Williams and Alpine surprise

Who would have thought 12 months ago that the battle for best of the rest would come down to Williams and Alpine? The French team appeared to carry its momentum into 2025, while the fastest lap set over the entire three-day session was held by Williams driver Carlos Sainz.

Topping the timesheets in preseason tests is often fool's gold, but it's a confidence builder for a Williams team that has been transformed under James Vowles. It's also evidence of real progress. Both Alpine and Williams showed pace in their long runs and finished with faster times this week than they accomplished in qualifying at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.

These two constructors spent the past few years in the spotlight for internal dysfunction, a lack of resources, and disappointing results. The surprises they provided are refreshing.

Pecking-order prediction

A lot can change between now and the Australian Grand Prix, but here's an early guess of the 2025 pecking order based on what was displayed: