Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen Snatches 'Insane' Pole For Japan GP In Track Record.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen smashed the track record to snatch pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
• April 05, 2025
• Agence France-Presse
NDTV.com

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen smashed the track record to snatch pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, as Yuki Tsunoda qualified a lowly 15th in his Red Bull debut. Verstappen clocked a blistering lap of 1min 26.983sec in his Red Bull, 0.012sec ahead of championship leader Norris, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri third. Verstappen set a new Suzuka track record with his final lap in Saturday's qualifying, pipping Norris right at the death.

"Each session we kept making little improvements, then the last lap was flat out," said Verstappen, who has won the Japanese GP for the last three years. "In a Formula One car around here is insane. This is a proper highlight for us to be back on pole here."

'Insane';

https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/ma...record-8093001


Japanese GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying for the Formula 1 Japanese GP from Suzuka.
5 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Q1 Q2 Q3
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 17 1:27.943s 1:27.502s 1:26.983s
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 15 0.012s 1:27.845s 1:27.146s 1:26.995s
3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 18 0.044s 1:27.687s 1:27.507s 1:27.027s
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 0.316s 1:27.920s 1:27.555s 1:27.299s
5 63 George Russell Mercedes 17 0.335s 1:27.843s 1:27.400s 1:27.318s
6 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 18 0.572s 1:27.968s 1:27.639s 1:27.555s
7 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls – Honda 18 0.586s 1:28.278s 1:27.775s 1:27.569s
8 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 23 0.627s 1:27.942s 1:27.610s 1:27.610s
9 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes 20 0.632s 1:28.218s 1:27.783s 1:27.615s
10 87 Oliver Bearman Haas – Ferrari 21 0.884s 1:28.228s 1:27.711s 1:27.867s

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-s...gs-times-grid/


‘Incredibly rewarding’ – Verstappen hails ‘insane’ lap in Suzuka as he seals first Grand Prix pole since Austria 2024
5 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen hailed the "incredibly rewarding" experience around Suzuka as he sealed his first pole position since last year's Austrian Grand Prix. The Dutchman will start Red Bull’s final Japanese Grand Prix with engine partner Honda from the front of the grid, marking his fourth consecutive Suzuka pole success.

Asked if he was surprised to find himself at the front of the pack, Verstappen said: “Yeah, I am! We tried the best we could to get the best possible balance with the car, but it wasn’t easy even in Qualifying. Every session, we just kept on making little improvements, and I think that’s where we made the difference.”

“The last lap was just flat out. Around here, being on the limit or maybe a bit over in places is incredibly rewarding.” He added: “It’s insane in a Formula 1 car around here. Sector 1 especially is unbelievable. The new Tarmac as well just gives you even more grip so to commit is even harder.”

“Just kept on making little improvements”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...48MpYnomk02GG6


Max Verstappen makes honest assessment of Red Bull car despite Japanese GP pole position
Max Verstappen knows that keeping the McLaren's behind him in Suzuka will not be easy
5 April 2025
Euan Burns
Total Motorsport

During the post-qualifying press conference, Verstappen admitted that Friday’s flexing problem with the car had been fixed, but there were still other issues that needed to be addressed and they will be a factor during the race on Sunday.

“Actually it was a bit better. I think that issue was a lot better today. But at the same time, the through corner balance is still what we need to work on. But yeah, I think on low fuel over one lap, some bits you can mask a little bit. But it’s still not like I go into the lap fully confident and comfortable,” Verstappen told the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“So the last lap I was like, well, I’m just going to not try and feel uncomfortable – just send it in and see what we get. It’s very rare, of course, that a lap like that then can stick, but this time it worked well. We know that we have some issues that we want to solve, but it’s clearly not easy to solve them at the moment.”

‘Some issues that we want to solve’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...pole-position/


‘It’s a shame’: Yuki Tsunoda ‘didn’t expect’ one thing on his Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, ‘it’s a shame…’
5 Apr 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda could only qualify P15 on his debut for Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix, with Liam Lawson even out-pacing the home hero on his return to Racing Bulls. Kanagawa native Tsunoda admits he ‘did not expect’ his first qualifying session with Red Bull would finish in Q2 after feeling confident with his pace from practice at the Japanese GP. He especially felt strong in FP3, when Tsunoda was P9 and only 0.288s from Verstappen in P5.

“Surprisingly, I think I feel OK in terms of pressure,” Tsunoda told Sky Sports F1 (5/4, 08:29). “The last Q2 lap was probably the most pressured time. I had the pace from FP3, so I didn’t expect it to be like this, how I ended up like that today. So, it’s a shame. But at least the positive is that I’m starting to understand the car. It’s quite difficult to operate this car properly, it’s quite narrow [compared to] the Racing Bulls’ car.”

“I didn’t expect it to be like this”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuk...x-its-a-shame/


Adjusted starting grid for 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix after penalty
Check out the full starting grid for the 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix from Suzuka!
5 Apr 2025
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

It is Verstappen's fourth successive Japanese GP pole, with new team-mate Yuki Tsunoda only 14th on the grid after qualifying 15th fastest.
The reason for the change is due to a three-place grid penalty for Carlos Sainz for impeding Lewis Hamilton in Q2. The Williams driver drops from 12th to 15th, allowing Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson and Tsunoda to shuffle forward one place.

Position Driver Team
1st Max Verstappen Red Bull
2nd Lando Norris McLaren
3rd Oscar Piastri McLaren
4th Charles Leclerc Ferrari
5th George Russell Mercedes
6th Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
7th Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls
8th Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
9th Alex Albon Williams
10th Oliver Bearman Haas

‘Adjusted starting grid’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-start...ese-grand-prix

[Fortitude]

Revealed: What Max Verstappen said to Lando Norris after dramatic Japanese GP pit moment.
Max Verstappen quipped that Lando Norris’s McLaren was “quite an expensive lawnmower” after their near miss at the pit exit during the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
06 Apr 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

All three drivers discussed the incident in the cooldown room ahead of the podium ceremony, with Piastri first to bring up the subject as Verstappen arrived. Piastri said: “I had a good seat to watch the pit exit. That was close! As I was coming down the straight, I saw grass everywhere. I was like: ‘Oh.'”

Verstappen laughed and replied: “Something happened!” The drivers were then seated before watching a highlights reel of the race with Norris and Verstappen having a brief exchange when their skirmish appeared on screen.

Norris: “I saw that wall coming quite quickly.”
Norris: “Bet I got track limits for that.”
Verstappen: “It’s quite an expensive lawnmower.”
Norris: “Had a floor specially made for it.”

“Quite an expensive lawnmower”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...-gp-pit-moment


Japanese GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Japanese GP from Suzuka.
6 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 53 Laps
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes +1.423s
3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes +2.129s
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +16.097s
5 63 George Russell Mercedes +17.362s
6 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +18.671s
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +29.182s
8 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls – Honda +37.134s
9 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes +40.367s
10 87 Oliver Bearman Haas – Ferrari +54.529s

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-s...andings-order/


Verstappen beats McLarens in Japanese GP after Norris pit run-in.
Max Verstappen held off the McLaren duo in the Japanese Grand Prix for his and Red Bull's first win of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Apr 6, 2025
Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

In what was a largely static first lap all throughout the field, Verstappen covered off Norris right away off the line and consolidated the lead - which he quickly eked out into a solid buffer. It hovered around two seconds for much of that first stint, with Piastri closer to Norris than Norris to Verstappen, but the championship leader did attempt to put some pressure on Verstappen later on, pushing closer up as McLaren made a bluff pitstop call on lap 18.

But George Russell pitting out of fifth the following lap meant the real strategies had to play out then and there, with Piastri stopping to cover off the Mercedes' potential undercut - which meant both Verstappen and Norris were called in the next lap. Verstappen's victory bid nearly went begging then and there - as his tyre change was a second slower than Norris', timed at 3.3s versus 2.3s by McLaren.

It meant Norris drew alongside as he darted out of McLaren's pitbox at the end of pitlane, though Verstappen's front wheels remained well ahead - and as they arrived at pitlane exit, Norris refused to back out and went skipping over the grass towards Turn 1. The stewards felt this was fair game, with the incident 'noted' but quickly dismissed as not requiring further investigation.

‘Verstappen beats McLarens’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/v...itlane-run-in/


Verstappen smashes Suzuka record in dominant Japanese GP victory
Max Verstappen turned in a brilliant display at Suzuka to claim his fourth-consecutive Japanese Grand Prix win, a new record at the circuit.
6 Apr 2025
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen controlled the Japanese Grand Prix from the front to seal victory over the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, his fourth in a row at Suzuka - a new record. Charles Leclerc enjoyed a comfortable and uneventful day to claim fourth, ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell.

Kimi Antonelli had a day for the history books as well, becoming the youngest-ever driver to lead an F1 race, beating Verstappen's record from 2016 by just two days. The 18-year-old also became the youngest driver to clinch the fastest lap in a grand prix.

Fellow rookie Isack Hadjar scored the first points of his career by finishing eighth, with Alex Albon continuing his ever-present top 10 streak in 2025. All 20 drivers finished at Suzuka, something that was achieved four times last season.

‘Max Verstappen turned in a brilliant display’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...ese-gp-victory


2025 Japanese Grand Prix: Verstappen crosses the line to take his first victory of the season
6 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen takes the chequered flag to seal his first win of 2025 – and his fourth victory in a row at Suzuka.

‘Thank you Guys, Wow!”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...34457620257594


‘Yuki Tsunoda was named Driver of the Day’: Red Bull will be worried by what Ted Kravitz spotted in Yuki Tsunoda’s data at the Japanese Grand Prix
6 Apr 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda had a Red Bull debut to forget after such a promising start to the race weekend. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner sent Liam Lawson a message after he outqualified the Japanese driver at the first opportunity on his return to Racing Bulls when an enforced swap was put in place after his disappointing start to the season.

While Tsunoda finished ahead of Lawson during the race, Ted Kravitz spotted something during his performance that left him worried and will already be concerning Red Bull. “Just a quick one on Yuki Tsunoda, I’ve been following his lap times, they’re not great. He’s about five seconds off a point, which is currently held by Ollie Bearman, and making very little impact on Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin ahead of him.”

So that early promise of Yuki Tsunoda this weekend in the Red Bull has not shown in the race at all.” Tsunoda was named Driver of the Day by fans at Suzuka, despite making up just two places over the 53-lap race. He overtook Lawson during the opening stages, before taking advantage of a slugging Pierre Gasly pit stop to overtake his former teammate.

‘Yuki Tsunoda was named Driver of the Day’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...se-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Villeneuve slams McLaren strategy: 'Trying not to win'.
Jacques Villeneuve tore into McLaren's tame strategy at the Japanese Grand Prix, going as far as to say they were "trying not to win".
06/04/2025
James Fiorucci
F1i.com

The Suzuka International Racing Course proved particularly difficult to overtake on, with very few overtakes witnessed during the 53-lap Grand Prix. This was the case for the top three, who remained in their starting grid positions at the finish line with Verstappen, Norris and Oscar Piastri in first, second and third respectively. This raised the question: why didn't at least one of the McLaren drivers attempt an alternative strategy to try and get past Verstappen?

Sky Sports F1 pundit Jacques Villeneuve was disappointed that McLaren didn't try something different in terms of strategy. He said: "Why would you stop Norris, when your team-mate has already stopped? Why won’t you take a gamble? You have two drivers out there!" exclaimed Villeneuve after the race.

"It’s as if they’re trying to not win. You need a winning attitude when you want to win. You need to want to win. You cannot just be on the defensive. Panicking, being afraid of 'are you doing what might be right?'," added the Canadian former Formula 1 driver.

“Trying not to win”;

https://f1i.com/news/534887-villeneu...ot-to-win.html


Oscar Piastri issues telling statement after Aussie 'robbed' of place at Japanese F1 Grand Prix.
The Aussie driver has spoken out after drama erupted with McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
6 April 2025
Sam Goodwin
Yahoo! Australia

Oscar Piastri has declared he only had himself to blame for McLaren not giving him a shot at chasing down Max Verstappen in the Japanese Grand Prix after many felt he was dudded by his own team. The Aussie driver finished third in Suzuka on Sunday, with Verstappen first and teammate Lando Norris second.

Late in the race, Piastri told his team he felt he had the pace to chase down leader Verstappen and try and snatch victory. But his team ordered him to stay behind Norris and refused to tell his teammate to yield.

Piastri was clearly quicker than Norris, who wasn't making any ground on Verstappen at the front. The situation left F1 fans fuming, with many saying McLaren had robbed Piastri of second place and potentially first, labelling it a "joke" and a "farce".

‘Piastri told his team he felt he had the pace to chase down leader Verstappen’;

https://au.news.yahoo.com/oscar-pias...W06C9EzHigC0Yg


Explained: Why Piastri didn’t attack Norris at the Japanese GP
6 Apr 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Piastri urged McLaren to help him in the closing laps as he sat on Norris’ rear wing, but the team opted not to issue a team order. “If Lando is still saving, I think he should go soon,” Piastri said over the radio. “I think I have the pace to get Max.”

Told that “this is Lando’s pace”, he reiterated: “Okay, like I said, I think I have the pace to get Max.” McLaren didn’t order Norris to move over and although Piastri got within 0.6 seconds of his team-mate, he didn’t attempt a pass either. He eventually crossed the line seven-tenths behind the Briton.

Asked about the radio communication with the team, he downplayed it. “There wasn’t much to be honest,” said the Australian driver. “For me, I felt like I had really strong pace and felt like if I had the track position I could go and get Max. But that’s what happens when you qualify behind, unfortunately.”

‘Explained’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...is-japanese-gp


Lando Norris downplays Japan F1 pit lane incident with Max Verstappen
6 Apr 2025
Harry Whitfield
Motorsport Week

As the Red Bull driver peeled into the pits, Norris followed him in, and the McLaren team completed a quick turnaround to allow him to rejoin the pitlane alongside Verstappen. Norris attempted to pass his rival before rejoining the track, but he ran out of room and ended up on the grass, as the stewards quickly determined that the incident required no further investigation.

Over the team radio, the McLaren driver suggested that he had been forced onto the grass by Verstappen. However, speaking after the race in parc ferme, Norris went back on his earlier verdict.

“It’s racing, I think,” the 25-year-old said. “I mean, he was still ahead; it kind of squeezes into one. Max is the last guy I expect to give me any space, in a good way and in a racing way, so nothing more than that.”

“It’s racing, I think”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ax-verstappen/


Verstappen's perfect Japan GP shows McLaren won't get easy ride
Apr 6, 2025
Nate Saunders
ESPN.co.uk

SUZUKA, Japan -- Perfection. Magical. Inspirational. Whatever word you used to frame Max Verstappen's Japanese Grand Prix victory -- and superlatives were in high supply throughout the weekend -- it was something special.

Sunday's race was not a classic by any means, but Verstappen's weekend was a vintage of a different kind. It was a race win built on the bedrock of a scintillating qualifying lap that beat the benchmark McLarens to pole position on Saturday, and then the trademark pace and unshakeable composure which kept both orange cars at arm's length on Sunday, even when the consensus was they have the class-leading car in the F1 field.

Speaking on the radio just after the checkered flag, long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase succinctly summed up Verstappen's performance: "That's perfection. Just perfection, Max. Fantastic." It was hard to disagree. Bar a short period in the pit-stop phase and a close shave with Lando Norris on pit exit, Verstappen had controlled proceedings out in front. Red Bull boss Christian Horner labeled the four-time world champion's performance "inspirational" in his own congratulatory message on the cool-down lap.

‘McLaren won't get easy ride’;

https://www.espn.com/racing/f1/story...-get-easy-ride


NORRIS QUESTIONS MCLAREN STRATEGY, BUT FELT JAPANESE GP WAS LOST IN QUALIFYING
Lando Norris has offered his thoughts on McLaren pitting him on the same lap as Max Verstappen in Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix
Apr 6, 2025
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Lando Norris says McLaren should have pitted him before Max Verstappen to try to defeat the Red Bull Formula 1 driver, but thinks the Suzuka race was lost in qualifying. While the McLarens were the quicker cars, overtaking at Suzuka proved almost impossible, and Norris and Piastri never found clear air to extract the pace out of the MCL39.

"Maybe we could have tried a bit more with strategy and overcut or undercut," he said. "We just boxed on the same lap for some reason, so there are some things we'll discuss. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.”

"I probably should have just tried to undercut. The thing is there's always the safety car risk. I don't think I could have gone longer because then I think I would have lost a position, so that wasn't on the cards. But yeah, I think we probably should have just tried to undercut and tried something different."

“Overcut or undercut";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/n...ying/10710458/

[Fortitude]

'There's not much more in the car': Lewis Hamilton's admission as Ferrari title dream fades.
Dismal performance from the Ferrari garage will be first on the list to change according the drivers, with glimpses of pace in Japan leaving them hungry for better results in this weekend's race in Bahrain.
Apr 8, 2025
Sophie Wisely
Wide World of Sports

The seven-time world champion admitted he believed the Maranello-based team was sliding down the constructors standings and that to survive the dominant nature of the top three teams, Ferrari need to find pace quickly.

"Yeah, I think it looks like we are third, [or] Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and then us sort of thing, so we've got some improvements to make," said Hamilton.

'There's not much more in the car';

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motors...08-p5lq40.html


“I’d really like info where I’m slow”: Hamilton’s struggles with his car at Suzuka
7th April 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton revealed Ferrari has identified a problem with its car which it intends to fix following his seventh-placed finish at Suzuka. As the first driver on the grid to start the race on the hard rubber, Hamilton pursued an alternative strategy to many of those around him. That gave him the opportunity to spend more of the race in clearer air than his rivals did.

He wasn’t happy with his pace, however, and repeatedly asked his race engineer Riccardo Adami for information on where he was losing time and how to gain it. In his third grand prix for Ferrari, Hamilton’s relationship with his engineer appears to be working more smoothly, but he is still learning how to get the best from the Ferrari and how to tune it to his liking.

‘Hamilton’s struggles’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/04/07/...car-at-suzuka/


Ferrari have now discovered the same car problem that plagued Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2024
8 Apr 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari’s 2025 F1 car has a small working window – just like last year’s Mercedes. Ferrari and Hamilton looked like the class of the field in the Sprint sessions in Shanghai, but otherwise, they’ve often seemed to be the fourth-fastest team. How can the performance swing so significantly?

According to Bild, ‘the Ferrari is not a bad car’, but ‘the working window is too small’. That means the car is only a contender within narrow parameters – be it set-up, temperature or track conditions. Hamilton ‘doesn’t like that at all’, having been plagued by a similar issue at Mercedes in 2024. Speaking to Autosport last summer, he described the W15 as ‘peaky’. To demonstrate that point, Hamilton’s average qualifying position last year was 8.5, but he jumped into the top three in Spain, Great Britain and Belgium.

In addition to Bild’s report, AutoRacer add that Ferrari are dealing with an ‘unpredictable rear’ on the SF-25. Leclerc has been able to adapt his driving style to cope. But speaking before the season started, Sky Germany pundit Ralf Schumacher said Hamilton ‘can’t cope’ with a loose back end. It chronically undermines his confidence in the car. Sure enough, Jacques Villeneuve said during the coverage of the Japanese GP that Hamilton’s Ferrari ‘slides a fair amount’. That also has the effect of heating up the tyres, so it can be self-perpetuating.

‘Small working window’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...cedes-in-2024/


On-board Lewis Hamilton camera reveals ‘not a good sign’ for Ferrari
7 Apr 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Watching as Lewis Hamilton fought his SF-25 around the Suzuka circuit, Jacques Villeneuve says the lack of rear-end grip has to be a huge concern for the Scuderia. And it is a problem that does not bode well for future races.

“Looking at the Ferrari, it’s not got the most stable rear end I would have thought,” said David Croft. Jacques Villeneuve, joining him in commentary in Japan, replied: “I was about to say, the Ferrari slides a fair amount. We’re looking at the Ferrari, it’s moving around, sliding around, heating up the tyres. That’s not a good sign for the longer run.”

“You could also tell that [George] Russell had a much tighter line. He would back off a bit so that he could have a tighter exit and get on the gas better.” Hamilton went from eighth to seventh in the Grand Prix, only passing Isack Hadjar, and later confirmed there was an issue with his SF-25.

“It’s moving around, sliding around, heating up the tyres”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/on-boa...gn-for-ferrari


‘Both sides of the garage’: Hamilton’s thinly-veiled dig at Ferrari as honeymoon over
Apr 7th, 2025
Afp
7 Apr 2025

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he “didn’t have the pace to challenge” after finishing seventh at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, with fourth-place Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc saying it was a “lonely” race. “We didn’t have the pace to challenge the top three, and that’s something we’ll be working hard to address ahead of the next rounds,” Hamilton said.

“I went with a set-up that felt good overall but it just didn’t give me everything I needed out there. The team’s been doing an incredible job, and we’ll keep pushing together to find those gains,” Hamilton said. Meanwhile, the British driver insinuated that his side of the garage was performing worse than Leclerc’s, confirming his Ferrari has an “issue” that is in the process of being fixed.

“I’m really hoping in the next race we’ll see hopefully some positive changes,” Hamilton said. “Through the first three races there’s been a bit of a deficit between both sides of the garage on some elements of the car. On my side, underperforming. With what I had, that is the best result I could get.” Pressed further, he continued: “We found something on the car that’s been underperforming the last three races. I’m really hoping that when that’s fixed, I’ll start getting a bit better results.”

‘Hamilton’s thinly-veiled dig’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...3a285ccaf95afa


Lewis Hamilton Hoping New Floor To Solve Ferrari Flaw
Apr 7, 2025
F1 Chronicle

Ferrari is pinning its hopes on a much-needed floor upgrade that will reportedly make its debut this weekend in Bahrain. Team boss Frederic Vasseur admits the 2025 car is lacking pace. “We’re missing two to three-tenths of a second in qualifying,” he told Sky Italia. “In the race, it’s even more. We’re talking about three to four-tenths.”

Ferrari faced some criticism for not fast-forwarding the debut of the new floor – reportedly to fix a clear flaw – to Suzuka. “We don’t have to and won’t change our approach,” Vasseur said. “And you’ll never improve by three to four-tenths in one go.” For his part, Lewis Hamilton can hardly wait for the much-needed upgrade, admitting that at present, the ride-height needs to be set “higher than we would like”.

“We found something that wasn’t delivering the desired performance in the last three races, and I hope we can achieve better results once we get that under control,” said the seven-time world champion. I hope we have this under control by the next race. Hopefully, when the new parts arrive, it shouldn’t be there anymore. The step we need is in rear downforce.”

‘Much-needed floor upgrade’;

https://f1chronicle.com/lewis-hamilt.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

What F1 teams do well at the Bahrain Grand Prix with Ferrari and Mercedes successful.
Ferrari holds the most victories in Bahrain having won the first race in 2004 and separately across different eras including 2008, 2010, 2017, and 2022.
8 Apr 2025
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

WINS TEAM YEARS
7 Ferrari 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2022
6 Mercedes 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021
4 Red Bull 2012, 2013, 2023, 2024
2 Renault 2005, 2006
Fernando Alonso won on his debut with Ferrari in 2010 after a spark plug failure denied Sebastian Vettel a win for Red Bull. They only have four victories at the circuit, having also achieved back-to-back victories in 2023 and 2024.

Mercedes first won the race in 2014 after the impressive duel between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg for the win, while Renault won back-to-back with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006. Ferrari and Mercedes hold the joint record for most wins for a power unit manufacturer in Bahrain, with Mercedes taking victories for three different teams.

In 2009 they (Mercedes) won with Brawn GP with Jenson Button and their victory in 2020 was Racing Point’s one and only win for the Sakhir GP with Sergio Perez.

‘Ferrari holds the most victories’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...es-successful/


How did Verstappen beat Norris at 2025 Japanese GP? Can he do it in Bahrain?
The Red Bull RB21 found itself competitive with McLaren as the Dutchman won for the first time
8 Apr 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

So, hamstringed in Suzuka, the papaya-coloured cars couldn’t opt for a chance to try to over-cut Verstappen when he chose to pit as they called Norris into the box immediately. Piastri, who did the extra lap, didn’t make much headway on the Dutchman either. That allowed the 28-year-old the platform to control the tempo of the race, combined with the impact of dirty air and just the one DRS zone, without much risk from behind as long as he ensured he didn’t mess up.

The Bahrain International Circuit is completely different. With three DRS zones and long straights, there are more opportunities to overtake another car, to create a tyre offset or mix it up when it comes to strategic options. That, combined with the spike in temperatures causing more degradation, leads the pack to expect McLaren to dominate there – an ominous warning after their pace in Australia and China.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the real McLaren yet,” Mercedes‘ George Russell told Sky Sports F1 in Japan. “We raced on three cold weekends. When we go to Bahrain with 35 degrees or even to Saudi Arabia, it will be there that they will be able to really excel, so we have to keep our feet on the ground.”

‘Hamstringed in Suzuka’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/how...it-in-bahrain/


Max looks ahead to Bahrain GP: 'I think it will be a tough race for us'
8 April 2025
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Max says: “Bahrain is typically somewhere where we have gone well: the track is very technical and of course it is under night race conditions which is a bit different. It is going to be hot and think it will be a tough race for us.”

“There are still things to improve on the car: we are still working on our tyre management and lacking some pace so we will just need to work hard and constantly push the car to the limit. However, I do always enjoy going there so looking forward to seeing what this week brings and hopefully we can maximise the performance of the car as best we can.”

‘Still things to improve on the car’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5763/


Lewis Hamilton will be delighted to see Ferrari ‘equipped’ with one important upgrade at the Bahrain Grand Prix
9 Apr 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari are heading into the Bahrain Grand Prix with the fourth-fastest Formula 1 car in 2025, after a dramatic fall over the winter. Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in Maranello was meant to help elevate their performance to a new level, but they have just fallen backwards so far.

Ferrari’s winter developments for the SF25 have not worked, and they have fallen back behind Mercedes and maybe Red Bull too. Neither driver sits in the top five of the drivers’ championship and three races have yielded zero podiums. Far more was expected of them before pre-season testing.

‘Ferrari, fourth-fastest Formula 1 car in 2025’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...in-grand-prix/


The rumoured new upgrade that could propel Hamilton and Leclerc
8 Apr 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

After Suzuka came and went, Ferrari reportedly will introduce their new floor for the SF-25 at the Bahrain Grand Prix. As Formula 1 quickly moves on to this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, part two of this season’s first triple-header, Ferrari will reportedly introduce a new floor carrying the intention of giving Hamilton and Leclerc a much-needed boost.

With respected Italian publication Formula Uno Analisi Tecnica citing a ‘lack of balance and pure performance’ with the SF-25, it is reported that a new floor is on its way for Bahrain, one designed to trigger better stability and balance in the Ferrari car, opening up its working window.

One caveat to Ferrari’s proposed upgraded floor is that it has been designed to generate more efficient downforce at the ride heights which Ferrari have to work with at present, as it is reported that should the team go lower, then they run the risk of skid block wear becoming an issue once again.

‘Could propel Hamilton and Leclerc’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/rumour...als-bahrain-gp


Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli ‘learned’ one thing in Japan he now wants to exploit at the Bahrain Grand Prix
8 Apr 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Andrea Kimi Antonelli enjoyed a record-breaking race in the Japanese Grand Prix yet is learning all the time as a Formula 1 driver during the Mercedes star’s rookie campaign. The Italian had never driven around Suzuka prior to heading to the Japanese GP for the third round of his debut F1 season. But Antonelli overcame his early struggles to build confidence to score points in a third straight Grand Prix with the Mercedes driver’s P6 finish last Sunday.

Antonelli was ‘lost’ after practice at the Japanese GP and struggling for confidence at a track he had never raced before last week. But advice from reserve driver Valtteri Bottas ahead of qualifying helped Antonelli work his tyres into the right temperature window for sector one.

Mercedes also changed Antonelli’s set-up before qualifying and those tweaks further helped the Italian build his confidence around Suzuka. So much so, in fact, that Antonelli regrets not being even more aggressive with his set-up in qualifying and aims to change that in Bahrain. Antonelli said, via quotes by Motorsport.com: “The first sector is not easy. You have to find the right timing in all the corners. Also, with the set-up, we started conservatively because I didn’t have confidence.”

‘Learnt to be more aggressive with his set-up in qualifying’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mer...in-grand-prix/


Aston Martin set to disappoint Fernando Alonso amid ‘difficult’ admission ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix
8 Apr 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin racer Fernando Alonso is still yet to score a single point after the opening three rounds of the 2025 season and he expects a ‘difficult’ Bahrain Grand Prix next. Alonso will be trying to get off the mark at the Bahrain GP as point-less trips to Australia, China and Japan returned his worst start to a year since 2017.

Their form is unlikely to improve anytime soon as Aston Martin will have effectively the same car in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. That is according to Marca, which reports that Aston Martin do not plan to bring ‘significant’ upgrades to the AMR25 until at least the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on May 16-18. They see the Miami Grand Prix two weeks before the first European race as a ‘lost weekend’.

F1 will enjoy a one-week break following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix next weekend before a quick stop in America for the Miami GP ahead of another week off. But as Miami is also an F1 Sprint weekend, only getting one practice session deters Aston Martin from taking upgrades. “With what we learned in the first three races, we’re here now to confront some things we had doubts about in testing,” Alonso said. “So, we’ll use practice for that there and I think it will be a difficult finish again. But in difficult finishes we’re going to keep trying. So, we’re not going to give up, for sure.”

‘In difficult finishes we’re going to keep trying’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ast...in-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Why McLaren can strike back – What to watch for at Bahrain GP.
Four races into the 2025 F1 season and we’ve had four different winners – will there be a fifth at the Bahrain GP this weekend?
9 Apr 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Lando Norris leads Max Verstappen by a single point going into the fourth round of the season in the Bahrain GP following the Red Bull driver's win in Japan. Here's what to look out for at Sakhir

While McLaren has looked imperious on pure pace, a Max Verstappen masterclass saw Red Bull win in Japan, with Lewis Hamilton snatching the sprint spoils in China.

As a result, just one point separates Lando Norris and Verstappen at the top of the table. Will either of the championship’s top two contenders prevail at Sakhir, or there be yet another name at the top of podium?

‘What to watch for’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


How does the F1 championship look heading into the Bahrain GP?
9 Apr 2025
ESPN.co.uk

Max Verstappen has caught up to Lando Norris in the drivers' championship, just one point behind after three races, but Red Bull and Ferrari have work to do to catch up with McLaren. With just one win in three races, Max Verstappen has managed to get himself within one point of leader Lando Norris in the drivers' championship.

McLaren, however, are 36 points ahead of Mercedes in the constructors' championship with two performing drivers. The Papaya team were one of two teams not to change their line up coming into 2025, which has boosted the start of their season as the other teams look to catch up.

Times below in BST (British Summer Time).
Friday
Free practice one: 12:30-13:30 BST
Free practice two: 16:00-17:00 BST
Saturday
Free practice three: 13:30-14:30 BST
Qualifying: 17:00-18:00 BST
Sunday
Race starts: 16:00 BST.

‘Just one point behind after three races’;

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id...dictions-stats


Max Verstappen will be worried by what ‘experts’ are now saying about McLaren ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix
9 Apr 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

In a report by Auto Motor und Sport, many ‘experts’ believe that McLaren will have the advantage in the hotter temperatures. With the Bahrain Grand Prix and Jeddah next up, it is a perfect opportunity for the Woking squad to capitalise. The opening three races were ‘quite chilly’ in comparison, as was pre-season testing at Sakhir back in February. Now, in April, the track temperature and weather conditions will be significantly warmer in Bahrain – music to McLaren’s ears.

However, this will be a concern for Verstappen, especially considering that Red Bull have struggled to find the right balance for the RB21. Despite winning at Suzuka, the team cannot find the right operating window at the moment. Andrea Stella doubts Verstappen can ‘make the difference’ throughout the season. While he has extracted the most out of the RB21 so far, it is clear the machine is inferior compared to McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari.

So far, Verstappen has scored all of Red Bull’s points in 2025. While Yuki Tsunoda improved on Liam Lawson by reaching Q2 at Suzuka – something the New Zealander failed to do in the opening two races – he was still off the pace to his teammate and ex-Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar. The second car is not capable of scoring points, regardless of which driver is piloting it. While Verstappen can still fight at the front, the hotter track conditions in the Middle East could expose Red Bull’s weakness.

‘McLaren will have the advantage in the hotter temperatures’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...in-grand-prix/


Four reasons why Max Verstappen won’t win the F1 2025 Bahrain GP
The world champion bids for his second win of the season after victory in Japan.
9 Apr 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

DRS zones Suzuka is very unique by possessing just the one DRS zone… … Bahrain, has three… That means that if Verstappen is being pursued by around a second once again, the cars behind will have three opportunities to close up to the gearbox of the Red Bull car for free, a stark contrast to Suzuka.
Tyre degradation Secondly, Bahrain is a lot hotter than Japan and this holds a critical impact on the temperatures as they are poised to spike in the Middle East. This plays directly into McLaren’s hands.

Strategy options diverse A two-stop strategy also lets teams play around with the specific lap they pit on too. For example, it’s far easier to opt to extend a stint for a tyre advantage later into the race; but conversely teams can also be aggressive by pitting sooner to catch rivals off guard.
Downforce levels The secret to Verstappen’s pole lap and subsequent defence in the F1 2025 Japanese GP was the slimmer rear-wing he ran compared to the downforce levels of the McLaren cars.

‘Four reasons’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/fou...25-bahrain-gp/


‘Very difficult’: Gary Anderson sees a ‘big concern’ for Ferrari after what he’s ‘hearing’ about Lewis Hamilton’s F1 car
9 Apr 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Gary Anderson has seen signs in Ferrari’s early-season struggles that hint the SF-25’s problems are at least partly due to the car’s mechanical platform. Ferrari changed the front suspension set-up on their 2025 F1 car in the winter to try to manage its ride height easier. Anderson now feels their suspension could become a ‘big concern’ as Ferrari are unlikely to change their set-up mid-season. The ex-Jordan technical director especially fears for Ferrari if, as he is hearing, the team must raise their ride height to keep the rake of their car stable.

“Making in-season changes on either front or rear suspension geometry is very difficult,” he told The Race. “So, I don’t expect to see much difference between the early Grands Prix and the last race in Abu Dhabi. That could be a big concern for Ferrari… As we seem to be hearing, the Ferrari loses a lot of performance when they need to raise the ride height. And it’s no surprise to me – if they have indeed done as little as it visually appears with the percentage of anti-dive to support the front of the car under braking and reduce its rake change.”

‘Very difficult’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gar...iltons-f1-car/


Our bold predictions for the Bahrain Grand Prix
10 Apr 2025
PlanetF1.com

A strong return for Liam Lawson By Elizabeth Blackstock

Carlos Sainz scores his first true Williams top 10 By Jamie Woodhouse

Sainz to out-qualify and out-race Albon for the first time By Henry Valantine

Lando Norris to win with a 20-second gap to the first non-McLaren driver By Oliver Harden

‘Bold predictions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ba...25-predictions


Formula 1: How to watch the Bahrain Grand Prix on TV and what to know
9 April 2025
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline

61 - Verstappen has scored all of Red Bull´s 61 points this season. The last time a Red Bull driver other than him scored a point was Sergio Perez in Las Vegas in November.
50 - Piastri is heading into his 50th race in F1, all with McLaren.
0 - Two-time champion Fernando Alonso is among five drivers yet to score a point in 2025 after he placed 11th in Japan. The others are Alpine´s Pierre Gasly and rookies Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan.

‘How to watch’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...x-TV-know.html

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari boss is now refusing to answer one ‘sensitive’ question before Bahrain Grand Prix.
Privately, Ferrari have set a date when they may give up on 2025. Ferrari are waiting until next month to see if they can unlock more performance, and if they haven’t made real progress, Vasseur could pull the trigger and go all-in on 2026.
10 Apr 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari are bringing an upgrade to this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in the hope of ending their podium drought. The Scuderia are fourth in the constructors’ championship after a disappointing start. Speaking on ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, journalist Laurence Edmondson emphasised the importance of the upgrade. Ferrari may be inclined to ‘cut their losses’ if they can’t find a solution to their ride-height issue.

“In having to lift that [the car], it seems they’ve lost a bit more performance, taken it out of its happy place,” Edmondson said. “If they can’t find a solution to that, you also have to look at this season and, at what point do you just say ‘cut the losses, it’s going to be a bad year, we’re too far off in the championship to do much, it would be great to get a Grand Prix victory at some point, but actually the bigger deal here is 2026 onwards’.”

“If you go into that and you’re off the pace, then that could take years to set right. I wonder if there will be a cutoff point. Fred was asked about this at the start of the year and I think he said ‘we will consider that’. He’s now stopped answering that question. It’s become a little bit more sensitive as to when you actually think ‘right, championship’s not on this year, what are we really going to gain by continuing to develop this car, let’s shift all our focus to next year’.”

‘Sensitive question’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...in-grand-prix/


Hamilton expecting “a bit more downforce” from Ferrari’s Bahrain GP upgrade
10th April 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s race in Bahrain, Hamilton confirmed he is seeking an improvement in his car’s rear-end balance. “We’ve got an upgrade this weekend, so I’m excited,” he told the official F1 channel. “We’re going to hopefully have a bit more downforce.”

“I’m not really feeling a huge amount of issues, it’s just we lack overall performance at the moment pace-wise, which we hopefully will take a step [with] this weekend. On my side, it’s rear end, it’s a little bit, and that’s about it.”

“I’ve done quite a bit of driving since the test that we had here, so I should be a lot more comfortable in the car than I was through testing here,” said Hamilton. “We’ve got an upgrade, got a better understanding of the set-up, so hopefully should bode well for a better weekend.”

“A bit more downforce”;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/04/10/...in-gp-upgrade/


Ferrari debuting new floor that might eradicate Hamilton 'deficit'
Apr 10, 2025
Matt Beer, Edd Straw
The Race

Hamilton caused intrigue in Japan last weekend when he referred to a “deficit” on his car and said “on my side, something is underperforming”, having been behind his team-mate throughout the event. Faced with multiple questions on Thursday about the disparity that he’d suggested, Hamilton always responded with a reference to the new floor Ferrari has for Bahrain - saying “we’ve got new floors this weekend, so it should be gone”.

The Race understands Ferrari will also bring a new rear brake duct and a small new wing on the rear pillar to complement the floor. The prospect of the upgrades left Hamilton very “excited” heading into his fourth weekend as a Ferrari driver.

“The team has worked really hard, as teams do, they work incredibly hard to be able to bring upgrades. So to have that here at the track we tested at, more knowledge about the car and how to extract more from it - I feel really positive going into the weekend,” he said.

‘Hamilton very “excited” ’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...ilton-deficit/


Hamilton warns Ferrari fans at Bahrain GP: Don’t expect anything special
The Brit is chasing his first victory at the Bahrain International Circuit since 2021.
11 April 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Hamilton warns Ferrari fans ahead of F1 2025 Bahrain GP not to expect miracles. “Don’t. Simple as that,” Hamilton warns, as per ESPN. “Don’t wait for anything. Just watch and enjoy. We’re working as hard as we can, and that’s all I can say. I have nothing else to add to that.”

“I’m not really feeling huge amounts of issues,” Hamilton later told Sky Sports F1. “It’s just that we lack overall performance, pace wise, which we’ll hopefully take a step this weekend. We got an upgrade this weekend so I’m excited. We’re going to hopefully, have a bit more downforce. On my side, it’s rear-end a little bit and that’s about it.”

‘Not to expect miracles’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lew...in-gp-special/


Red Bull set to be at ‘more severe’ disadvantage for Bahrain GP
11 Apr 2025
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

It wasn’t long ago that Red Bull Racing had mastered the tyre degradation game. Doing so required a multi-faceted approach that took into consideration car design, circuit characteristics, driving style, and strategy, and it gave the Milton-Keynes team a seemingly massive leg-up on the competition.

The RB21, though, is a much different story. In 2025, the drivers at Red Bull are tackling a much more unbalanced car — and a lack of balance between the front and the rear makes it more challenging to master the art of tyre deg. During a press conference ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Verstappen was asked about expectations for tyre degradation this weekend.

“It will be more severe,” the reigning champion told media, including PlanetF1.com. “On paper, from what we’ve seen so far this season, that’s not, let’s say, ideal for us compared to McLaren. But it’s up to us to try and find those improvements in the car or in the tyre behavior and just go from there.”

‘Red Bull are tackling a much more unbalanced car’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...antage-bahrain


War of Words: Norris hits back at Verstappen at 2025 Bahrain GP
The Brit responds to the Dutchman’s claims he would perform better in the McLaren.
10 Apr 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Following the race, Verstappen said if he was in the McLaren that “nobody would have seen him”, implying Norris didn’t fully exploit his car, but now the 24-year-old hits back at his rival ahead of the F1 2025 Bahrain GP as they begin their war of words.

“He’s not better at everything,” Norris told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “I don’t mind. He can say what he wants. I don’t care honestly. Everyone can say what they want and believe what they want. I believe that both Oscar and myself are good drivers.”

“He’s maybe better at some things, but he’s not better in every area. I have a lot of respect for Max, but I also know some things are not true. He can come and test our car any day that he wants, and I’ll be excited to see the disappointment on his face after he gets out.”

‘War of Words’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/war...25-bahrain-gp/


Russell expects 'race pace' to be the key to Bahrain GP success
10 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Mercedes driver George Russell says Sakhir is "the least important track in terms of qualifying", and expects race pace to be the major factor during this weekend's Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.

'Race pace to be the key’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ru...25213428113103

[Fortitude]

Bahrain GP: Norris edges Gasly in blazing FP1.
The 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix roared into life under a blazing desert sun on Friday, with McLaren’s Lando Norris seizing the spotlight in the day’s opening practice session at Sakhir.
11/04/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Norris set the early pace on medium tyres with a 1m35.249s, a lap that lingered unchallenged but trailed Carlos Sainz’s winter testing benchmark by six seconds. Williams’ Alex Albon briefly nipped at the McLaren driver’s heels, shaving his gap to within a tenth before Sauber’s rookie Gabriel Bortoleto upended the order.

The Brazilian, bold on soft tyres, fired off a 1m34.628s to claim the lead at the halfway mark, signaling his intent as F1’s newest contender. Gasly then joined the soft-tyre surge, but Norris answered emphatically, reclaiming the top spot with a lap that left the field scrambling.

As the clock ticked down, Ferrari and Mercedes held back on soft-tyre runs, focusing instead on setup tweaks. Hamilton, driving a Ferrari sporting a heavily revised floor and diffuser, waited until the final moments to unleash his best effort, slotting into third and bumping Albon to fourth.

‘Blazing FP1’;

https://f1i.com/news/535309-bahrain-...azing-fp1.html


Bahrain GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Bahrain GP from Bahrain International Circuit.
11 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Best
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 22 1:33.204s
2 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault 21 0.238s 1:33.442s
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 21 0.596s 1:33.800s
4 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes 22 0.724s 1:33.928s
5 31 Esteban Ocon Haas – Ferrari 17 0.980s 1:34.184s
6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber – Ferrari 22 1.058s 1:34.262s
7 7 Jack Doohan Alpine – Renault 22 1.192s 1:34.396s
8 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls – Honda 22 1.193s 1:34.397s
9 22 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull – Honda 22 1.280s 1:34.484s
10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 23 1.304s 1:34.508s

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-b...dings-details/


Everything that happened in first Bahrain GP practice
Apr 11, 2025
Josh Suttill
The Race

Lando Norris kicked off Friday at Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix by topping an opening practice session that featured six FP1-only rookies. McLaren did the most soft tyre running in FP1 of any of the frontrunners, with Norris topping the session on a 1m33.204s.

Hamilton was third fastest with the new Ferrari floor with a late soft tyre run that left him almost six tenths adrift of Norris's benchmark. Albon was fourth for Williams ahead of Ocon and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, who was an impressive sixth, albeit over one second adrift.

Having reported a "shocking" balance aboard his Racing Bulls car, Liam Lawson later posted the eighth-fastest time just behind Jack Doohan’s Alpine. The top 10 was completed by Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull and McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who made a mistake on his soft tyre run and so set his fastest time on the mediums.

‘Everything that happened’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/b...what-happened/


Ted Kravitz delivers ‘serious’ verdict on Ferrari’s Bahrain Grand Prix upgrades after spotting ‘lovely’ part
11 Apr 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ted Kravitz has realised Ferrari’s upgrades for Bahrain Grand Prix are ‘serious’. Kravitz praised Ferrari’s engineers for their ‘lovely’ new bargeboard as he inspected the SF-25 in the Bahrain Grand Prix pit lane. It occasionally takes teams multiple races to optimise an upgrade, so judgement should be reserved.

Kravitz says Ferrari are hopeful of transforming their season from this weekend onwards. Hamilton won the Sprint in China but the team haven’t had a podium in a Grand Prix yet. “Four big changes to the biggest single generator of downforce on the car – that’s the floor,” said Kravitz. “Let’s have a look.”

“Look how lovely the angle is of this bargeboard. That’s new. The cut-out on here is new. These fences feeding the air down to the underside of the floor, they are new. These floor edges are also new. There’s a new diffuser. You know when a team brings a new diffuser to a race, they’re serious about generating loads of lovely downforce. This is a significant upgrade – an upgrade that Ferrari are hoping is going to transform their season and get them back to winning ways.”

‘Serious’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...g-lovely-part/


Martin Brundle disappointed in Lando Norris as he falls into Max Verstappen’s ‘clever’ trap at Bahrain Grand Prix
11 Apr 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle says Lando Norris ‘shouldn’t have bitten’ after Max Verstappen McLaren dig. Brundle fears that he suffered a psychological defeat after taking what he saw as bait. “Was he firing it at the team or the McLaren drivers?” host Simon Lazenby asked.

“Both,” Brundle replied. “It was twofold. It was to give his team a hurry-up and to poke the two McLaren drivers. Direct hit, because they both went on the defensive. Risky strategy, because what Max is saying there to the 1,500 people back at base who’ve just given him a race-winning car is ‘your car’s not very good’.”

“That can motivate them, but both McLaren drivers – certainly Lando there – said a bit the same thing about his car, ‘have a go in it, you’ll be disappointed Max’. They shouldn’t have bitten on that one. It was quite clever psychology from Max.”

‘Your car’s not very good’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...in-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Piastri leads McLaren one-two as Alonso’s steering wheel comes off in practice.
Oscar Piastri led a comfortable one-two for McLaren in the second practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
11th April 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

George Russell, who got closest to the two McLaren drivers, lapped over half a second slower than the Chinese Grand Prix winner. Only the McLaren drivers lapped the Bahrain International Circuit in less than 91 seconds.

However a question mark remained over Red Bull’s form at the end of the session. Not for the first time this year, Max Verstappen’s best time in practice left him behind one of the Racing Bulls, in this case Isack Hadjar.

Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari some encouragement, setting a best time just a hundredth of a second slower than Russell in fourth place. Lewis Hamilton could only manage eighth.

‘McLaren one-two’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/04/11/...f-in-practice/


Bahrain GP : Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Formula 1 Bahrain GP from Bahrain International Circuit.
12 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Best
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 27 1:30.505s
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 27 0.154s 1:30.659s
3 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 0.527s 1:31.032s
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 0.540s 1:31.045s
5 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 26 0.722s 1:31.227s
6 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls – Honda 23 0.733s 1:31.238s
7 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 25 0.825s 1:31.330s
8 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 21 1.071s 1:31.576s
9 87 Oliver Bearman Haas – Ferrari 26 1.079s 1:31.584s
10 55 Carlos Sainz Williams – Mercedes 26 1.118s 1:31.623s

‘Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/bahrain-gp-fre...e-2-results-2/


Everything you need to know about second Bahrain GP F1 practice
Apr 11, 2025
Jack Cozens
The Race

Oscar Piastri ended Friday at the Bahrain Grand Prix with the fastest time as he and McLaren Formula 1 team-mate Lando Norris set an ominous pace in second practice. George Russell got closest on his qualifying simulation run, setting a 1m31.032s that was 0.527s slower than Piastri's best.

Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari some cause for optimism by improving to fourth, a mere 0.013s behind Russell, but that lap carries the caveat that it was set with just over 20 minutes of the hour-long session remaining - with the three faster times all set more than 10 minutes earlier.

That late Leclerc improvement - he'd been 10th prior to that - meant he ended up splitting the Mercedes cars, with rookie Kimi Antonelli fifth at the head of a tighter pack. Hadjar was faster too than the senior Red Bull team's Max Verstappen, who was seventh and eight tenths slower than the McLarens he beat to victory in Japan last weekend.

‘Everything you need to know’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/e...p-f1-practice/


Piastri leads McLaren one-two in Bahrain FP2 as rivals struggle to keep pace
Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets in second practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix as McLaren underlined their early dominance over Mercedes and Ferrari
11 Apr 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri delivered a statement of intent for McLaren by leading a commanding one-two in FP2 at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, with teammate Lando Norris close behind under the lights at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Russell best of the rest as Mercedes chase McLaren. Behind the dominant McLaren duo, George Russell placed third for Mercedes, over half a second adrift of Piastri’s pace-setting time. The W16 appeared strong on the straights but lost ground to McLaren in the higher downforce sections of the track.

Charles Leclerc led the charge for Ferrari, placing fourth with a 1:31.054, splitting the two Mercedes drivers as rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli took fifth in a solid showing for the Brackley-based team.

‘RiRals struggle to keep pace’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/osc...hrain-gp-2025/


FP2: Piastri leads Norris as McLaren dominate second practice in Bahrain
11 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets during Friday evening’s second practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, leading the way from team mate Lando Norris and Mercedes racer George Russell. After a baking hot first hour of practice, FP2 served up more representative twilight conditions for teams and drivers – the sun setting and the floodlights switching on around the Sakhir venue, as they will ahead of Qualifying and the Grand Prix.

As the minutes ticked by and every driver completed a lap with the red-marked rubber, the McLarens impressively moved to the fore – Piastri pumping in a 1m 30.505s and Norris a 1m 30.659s to put the papaya cars around half a second clear of the field. Russell grabbed the ‘best of the rest’ slot with his own improvement, 0.527s back, with Ferrari’s Leclerc taking fourth over Antonelli, high-flying Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar and Verstappen, who reported further issues relating to his brakes late on.

‘FP2’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Uo5Z8G3IbLiCFL

[Fortitude]

Piastri flying in final practice at Bahrain Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri has set a red-hot pace in final practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix, leading the timesheets and setting himself up for a crack at pole position in qualifying.
12 April 2025
AAP
The West Australian

The Australian comfortably outpaced teammate Lando Norris in final practice at the Sakhir circuit on Saturday as McLaren enjoyed a one-two, while Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen was only eighth. Piastri's best lap was timed at one minute 31.646 seconds with championship leader Norris 0.668sec slower.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ended up third in the session but he was 0.834 off Piastri's time, after losing his left wing mirror earlier in the session. "I can't believe how fast those McLarens are at the moment," said Alpine's Pierre Gasly. Mercedes' George Russell was fourth, 1.181 slower than Piastri, with rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli fifth and Gasly sixth in a session that was run in temperatures of 30 degrees celsius.

‘Piastri flying’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsp...rix-c-18352561


Bahrain GP : Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 for the Formula 1 Bahrain GP from Bahrain International Circuit.
12 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 12 1:31.646s
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 17 0.668s 1:32.314s
3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 18 0.834s 1:32.480s
4 63 George Russell Mercedes 12 1.181s 1:32.827s
5 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 11 1.270s 1:32.916s
6 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault 17 1.328s 1:32.974s
7 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls – Honda 14 1.377s 1:33.023s
8 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 12 1.381s 1:33.027s
9 55 Carlos Sainz Williams – Mercedes 14 1.446s 1:33.092s
10 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 17 1.465s 1:33.111s

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/bahrain-gp-fre...e-3-results-2/


McLaren dominates third free practice session at Bahrain Grand Prix Formula One
12 Apr 2025
Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Apr. 12 (BNA): McLaren driver Oscar Piastri set the fastest time during the third free practice session of the 2025 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, recording a time of 1 minute 31.646 seconds, ahead of his teammate Lando Norris by 0.668 seconds, reflecting the team's clear dominance in this session.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished in third place, 0.834 seconds behind the leader, while Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli came in fourth and fifth, respectively.

The session was interrupted by a technical incident when Nico Hülkenberg's car unexpectedly stopped, which required the activation of the virtual safety car before the session resumed.

‘McLaren dominates’;

https://www.bna.bh/en/news?cms=q8FmF...ziTKnGZTwPk%3d


Piastri dominates final Bahrain GP practice
Apr 12, 2025
Matt Beer
The Race

Oscar Piastri had a huge margin over his Formula 1 rivals in another McLaren-dominated practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Practice three is not the most relevant session at Sakhir, given how much hotter the conditions in it were than what's expected in the evening qualifying session that's coming up.

But that's just as well for everyone not in a McLaren, with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari the only rival car within a second of Piastri's 1m31.646s benchmark. Even Piastri's team-mate Lando Norris was six tenths of a second off that, though Norris had compromised himself by going wide on his first flying lap on his final set of soft tyres and did his time later in that run.

‘Piastri dominates’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/p...n-gp-practice/


Ferrari losing ‘everywhere’ as untelevised team radio message sparks alarm
12 Apr 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

At one point during the session, Leclerc was heard saying: “Piastri did a 31.6?”
Bozzi replied: “Yes”
“Where the hell are we losing the time?” Leclerc asked incredulously.
Bozzi: “A bit everywhere.”
Hamilton fared no better in final practice in Bahrain, lapping 1.465 seconds off the pace in 10th and slower than the Williams of Carlos Sainz, the driver he has replaced at Ferrari for F1 2025.

Leclerc’s worrying team radio message comes after the Ferrari drivers were divided on the impact of the team’s new floor following Friday’s running in Bahrain, with Hamilton convinced that the upgrade represented a clear step forward.
He said: “The upgrades are definitely working.
“And a big, big thank you to everyone back home for working so hard on bringing the upgrades, because it’s never an easy thing.
“It’s a lot of work that goes on in the wind tunnel and a lot of work that goes on in fabricating and putting together these floors.”

‘Ferrari losing everywhere’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...sage-sf-25-fp3


2025 Bahrain GP FP3: Russell spins as the drivers struggle for grip in final practice
12 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

With high temperatures dropping grip to very low levels in final practice in Bahrain, George Russell was one driver who found the limit, spinning his Mercedes late on in the session.

‘Russell spins’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...06637683855660