Mercedes’ young sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the pace in the first morning session of 2025 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit π§ππ. The 18-year-old prodigy clocked the fastest lap of 1β31.428, driving the all-new Mercedes W16 π.
π Fast Start for Antonelli & Mercedes
Antonelli, making his testing debut, led the field out and finished the session 2.3 seconds off last yearβs Bahrain GP pole time. Despite this, most drivers closed the gap within half a second, ensuring a competitive and productive start to testing.
β No red flags in the first four hours β a smooth session for all teams! π₯
β Lawson Spins but Escapes Damage
Liam Lawson (Red Bull) was the only driver to hit trouble, spinning at Turn 3 after running wide onto the kerb π¨. Fortunately, he avoided damage and resumed testing without major issues ποΈπ¨.
π Laps Completed β Antonelli Leads the Pack
πΉ Most drivers completed over a full race distance (57+ laps) at the Bahrain GP venue.
πΉ Antonelli topped the lap count, edging out Yuki Tsunoda by one lap.
*πΉ Fernando Alonso covered the fewest laps (46) with Aston Martin.
β±οΈ Morning Session Lap Times β Bahrain Test Day 1
| π’ Pos. | π’ Car No. | π€ Driver | ποΈ Team | π Model | β±οΈ Best Time | β³ Gap | π Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| π₯ 1 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W16 | 1β31.428 | — | 78 |
| π₯ 2 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | RB21 | 1β31.560 | +0.132 | 58 |
| π₯ 3 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | FW47 | 1β31.573 | +0.145 | 63 |
| 4 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 02 | 1β31.610 | +0.182 | 77 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1β31.834 | +0.406 | 70 |
| 6 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | A525 | 1β31.841 | +0.413 | 68 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | AMR25 | 1β31.874 | +0.446 | 46 |
| 8 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | MCL39 | 1β32.084 | +0.656 | 65 |
| 9 | 27 | Nico HΓΌlkenberg | Sauber | C45 | 1β32.169 | +0.741 | 55 |
| 10 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | VF-25 | 1β35.522 | +4.094 | 72 |
π Afternoon session up next! All 10 drivers will hand over their cars to their teammates for further testing ποΈπ₯.
π’ What do you think of Antonelliβs debut pace? Will Mercedes be title contenders? Drop your thoughts below in the comments! β¬οΈ
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