While the Formula One 2025 season officially kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks time, all eyes are on the Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing.
Teams have the chance to get to grips with their setups over three days before heading down under. After months of improvements and alterations, this is the first true test that everything works as it should.
The Middle Eastern venue, which has hosted pre-season testing six times since 2009, is typically favoured for its reliable and consistent weather, offering a helpful baseline for teams to test the performance of their car.
Teams will be looking to change certain aspects of the car between runs, using analytic tools to measure the tweaks, but the one thing that is entirely out of their control is the weather.
Bahrain’s unseasonably cold weather could impact Formula One’s pre-season testing
When Formula One visits the Middle East, warm and sunny weather is expected with the biggest challenges the drivers might face being a windy day on the track.
But temperatures in Bahrain are “unseasonably cold” according to Formula One journalist Chris Medland.
On Wednesday, the temperature high is just 16 degrees, and with a strong wind, it feels colder, especially during the evenings.
These unusually chilly conditions during this crucial limited testing time could be significant.
“The majority of races take place in hot conditions during the season, so teams design cars – and Pirelli creates tyres – to operate in those temperatures,” said Medland on BBC’s live blog.
“This week, they might not get such an accurate read on how both their cars and the tyres perform, particularly when it comes to car cooling.”
Sky Sports’ James Galloway echoed the sentiment, noting that while the weather may still warm compared to the UK, the gusty breeze “doesn’t exactly represent the absolute ideal weather conditions” for teams on the opening day of a warm weather test.
He pointed out that the wind would be keeping the drivers’ attention throughout the day, with Lewis Hamilton experiencing a couple of small off-course moments and Liam Lawson running slightly wide braking into Turn Four.
McLaren’s Lando Norris provides a weather report after arriving in Bahrain
Even the drivers appear to have been disappointed by the weather in the Middle East.
After touching down in the Middle East, in an Instagram video for McLaren, Lando Norris said: “It’s still chilly out here in Bahrain.”
The 25-year-old was hoping to make the most of the sunshine before the proceedings in Bahrain kicked off, but his plans were stifled.
Norris said: “I was hoping to suntan and sunbathe a little bit the last couple of days, but one has not been able to do that and it’s actually been raining a little.”
Let’s see if the abnormal weather has any effects on the day.
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