The world of motorsport is celebrating the return of Formula 1 with the start of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. For three days, the teams and drivers of the 2025 grid will test their new single-seaters and begin to prepare for the season that will kick off in Australia from March 14 to 16.
This season is particularly special, as it will be the last before the regulation change in 2026. Teams are working hard on their new cars, and the Bahrain tests are the first opportunity to see them in action and compare their performance with that of their rivals.
The 2025 Formula 1 grid features numerous changes, with drivers in new teams and the arrival of four rookies. Two moves stand out above the rest: Lewis Hamilton's signing with Ferrari and Carlos Sainz's arrival at Williams, along with the absence of Sergio 'Checo' Pérez.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, left Mercedes-AMG after 12 seasons to join Scuderia Ferrari. This signing represents a new challenge for the British driver, who is seeking to achieve his eighth world title. Meanwhile, Sainz left Ferrari to join Williams in search of a new direction in his career and with the hope of competing for the top positions again.
In addition to Hamilton and Sainz, other drivers also changed teams; Liam Lawson joined Red Bull, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon have joined Haas, and Nico Hulkenberg has returned to Sauber, which will be Audi in 2026. The 2025 season will also see the debut in Formula 1 of four young drivers: Kimi Antonelli in Mercedes, Jack Doohan in Alpine, Isack Hadjar in Racing Bulls, and Gabriel Bortoleto in Sauber.
Pre-season testing is crucial for teams and drivers, as they will gather valuable data on the performance of their new cars over three days and work on setup for the first race of the season. This will be a key moment to assess the performance of the new cars and begin to glimpse what the 2025 Formula 1 season will be like.
