STORYLINES EXCITING US AHEAD OF THE WEEKEND
Bahrain
IT'S
RACE
WEEK!
TITLE FIGHT
A tense title fight developing
The race itself at the Japanese Grand Prix was not a classic. We saw plenty of high-level driving with few mistakes across the grid as the drivers were all pushing to the limit for much of the race, but it did lead to a bit of a stalemate even if the pressure was high.
Races like this still matter in a title fight, and Suzuka added intrigue to the standings as the season progresses.
Verstappen’s first win of the year brought him within a point of leader Lando Norris after three rounds. McLaren appear to have the edge, but not enough to dominate, which left the door open for Verstappen to do something special in Qualifying.
With Hamilton winning the China Sprint and four different winners from four poles, competition is tight - and clean air is crucial.
Piastri is 13 points back, with Russell just four further behind - both firmly in the title hunt.
red bull
Chances for Tsunoda and Lawson to progress
The big story heading into Suzuka was Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson at Red Bull after just two rounds. Both handled it well, but Saturday highlighted the challenge of that second seat.
Tsunoda showed promise but struggled on a key Q2 lap, qualifying just behind Lawson. That effectively ended their points hopes, though Tsunoda made up a few spots while Lawson slipped to 17th.
It was a steep learning curve with little prep time, and a triple header offers no breather - but valuable experience from Japan can be built on in Bahrain. The more familiar track suits learning, before the high-speed challenge of Jeddah rounds out the stretch.
CURRENT FORM
A familiar track offering a clearer picture
I’m not sure many people had Verstappen winning in Japan on their bingo cards a week ago, and with upgrades expected in Bahrain we could yet see a different pecking order this weekend.
While the top four in the standings look like early title contenders, we’re only three races into a 24-race season. Last year showed how quickly form and points can swing when multiple teams are competitive.
Mercedes looked strong in Bahrain testing and hope to repeat that, while Ferrari are still in the picture. Leclerc delivered a very impressive performance to secure fourth, and while he couldn’t stick with the top three he was also closer to the race winner than a year ago at the same venue.
Ferrari were also competitive in Bahrain last season, so this weekend offers a chance to assess how things have evolved.
It’ll also be telling whether teams like Williams and Alpine deliver on their promising testing form - or if Racing Bulls and Haas step forward.
ROOKIES
Rookies at less of a disadvantage
The class of 2025 features some extremely talented rookies who have shown their potential already this season despite difficult circumstances, but they will also be looking forward to returning to a track they have experience of.
Melbourne, Shanghai, and Suzuka are rarely driven before F1, though Albert Park has hosted F2 and F3 in recent years. Bahrain, however, has been a venue for the junior categories for some time in both testing and racing, as well as being the site of F1 pre-season testing.
That February running means rookies know the Bahrain International Circuit in their current cars, helping narrow the gap to experienced drivers.
Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Oliver Bearman all head in with confidence after strong results in Japan. Jack Doohan, meanwhile, will be aiming for a clean weekend following his big crash last Friday. Doohan has matched Gasly for pace at times, and Bahrain offers a great chance to convert that into Alpine’s first points of the season.
LINE-UPS
Different line-ups in FP1
A new rule this season allows more track time for rookies with fewer than two Grand Prix starts. This has already seen Ryo Hirakawa drive for Alpine in Japan, and he’ll be back this weekend - this time with Haas, where he’s now reserve driver after impressing in last year’s Abu Dhabi test.
Alongside Hirakawa, Ferrari have confirmed that Dino Beganovic will make his Friday practice debut this weekend, Fred Vesti will be in the Mercedes, Felipe Drugovich is turning out for Aston Martin, Ayumu Iwasa will drive for Red Bull and Luke Browning will get an outing in the Williams.
Bahrain’s schedule makes FP1 ideal for rookie outings, with hotter, less representative conditions compared to the more crucial FP2 session - and at a track that doesn’t punish mistakes as harshly as some…
