who drives and when? Driver shifts in the course of the three days of testing in Sakhir

F1 Returns to the Observe with Bahrain Testing
The wait is over. Formulation 1 lastly begins its engines for probably the most eagerly anticipated occasions for followers: the primary pre-season testing with all of the vehicles on the observe directly. This yr, it’s going to happen from February 26 to twenty-eight, 2025, with the one three days of F1 winter testing taking place in Sakhir, Bahrain, on the circuit that has hosted pre-season assessments repeatedly since 2021.

F1 Testing, Again in Sakhir
The distinction in comparison with earlier years is within the calendar: the primary race of the World Championship won’t be held a couple of days in a while the identical observe, positioned only a few kilometers from the capital Manama. As a substitute, Formulation 1 will kick off the season – because it did earlier than the pandemic – in Melbourne with the Australian GP on March 16. Bahrain must wait till the weekend of April 13, but it surely stays the right location for the tip of February assessments: each for climatic causes and the presence of synthetic lighting, which helps lengthen on-track exercise even in less-than-perfect visibility circumstances.

F1 Bahrain Testing: 10 Vehicles for 20 Drivers
The three days of testing will see drivers on observe from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to five p.m. Italian time for all three workdays. However who shall be behind the wheel of every of the ten vehicles concerned within the Sakhir circuit? Every crew will convey just one automotive to Bahrain, which means the twenty drivers within the championship might want to alternate, successfully driving (in concept and barring distinctive conditions) for under a day and a half (roughly 12 hours in whole). This isn’t a rule set by the laws, but it surely’s clear that groups wish to give every of their two drivers roughly the identical mileage to get comfy with the automotive and finest put together for the season.

Under is the desk (up to date as official confirmations are available in from the groups) summarizing the shifts for drivers on the wheel of F1 vehicles in the course of the Sakhir assessments.

F1 Bahrain Check Lineup
Wednesday 26
McLaren: Not confirmed
Ferrari: Not confirmed
Purple Bull: Verstappen morning – Lawson afternoon
Mercedes: Antonelli morning – Russell afternoon
Aston Martin: Not confirmed
Alpine: Doohan morning – Gasly afternoon
Haas: Bearman morning – Ocon afternoon
Racing Bulls: Tsunoda morning – Hadjar afternoon
Williams: Albon morning – Sainz afternoon
Sauber: Not confirmed

Thursday 27
McLaren: Not confirmed
Ferrari: Not confirmed
Purple Bull: Verstappen all day
Mercedes: Russell morning – Antonelli afternoon
Aston Martin: Not confirmed
Alpine: Gasly morning – Doohan afternoon
Haas: Ocon morning – Bearman afternoon
Racing Bulls: Tsunoda morning – Hadjar afternoon
Williams: Sainz all day
Sauber: Not confirmed

Friday 28
McLaren: Not confirmed
Ferrari: Not confirmed
Purple Bull: Lawson all day
Mercedes: Antonelli morning – Russell afternoon
Aston Martin: Not confirmed
Alpine: Doohan morning – Gasly afternoon
Haas: Bearman morning – Ocon afternoon
Racing Bulls: Hadjar morning – Tsunoda afternoon
Williams: Albon all day
Sauber: Not confirmed

Feb 25, 2025Luca Marini

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