As usual, just twenty-four hours of testing—all on the same track—are not enough to clearly define the hierarchy of the entire 2025 grid, leaving the usual veil of uncertainty on the eve of the season.
Moreover, compared to past years, additional variables have made these tests even harder to interpret, making it difficult to compare simulations across different days due to significant temperature variations.
For example, on the second day, even during the hottest hours, track temperatures did not exceed 19°C—well below even the nighttime temperatures recorded during the 2024 GP weekend. Only on the final day did the asphalt begin to warm up, reaching peaks of 33°C, more representative of Bahrain’s standards but lower than in other test sessions, where temperatures reached around 40°C.
The cooler temperatures, as well as the strong winds, influenced the teams’ work compared to expectations, making data interpretation and comparisons even more challenging. However, one element appears to link the start of the 2025 season to the end of the 2024 championship: a strong and possibly benchmark-setting McLaren.
Unlike twelve months ago, the Woking team does not head into the season with a car still under development but with a single-seater that has met its winter objectives, though further updates are expected in the early part of the championship. While the MCL39 shares many similarities with its predecessor, certain aspects have been pushed to the extreme, particularly in the mechanical department.
A strong focus on analytical work
For this reason, it is not surprising that Woking’s program was structured around two separate areas: vehicle analysis and long runs. Examining its on-track work over the three days, it is clear that at the start of each session, McLaren took time for short outings—single laps or at most two untimed laps—to gather data and experiment with mechanical adjustments.
Only one other team carried out more test runs: Red Bull, which was primarily focused on understanding whether its winter development had made the RB21 a more user-friendly and easier-to-set-up car. While the MCL39 does not feature a radical design shift, that does not mean the mechanical changes should be underestimated, particularly at the front end.
Red Bull, for instance, described McLaren’s new front suspension as “interesting but also risky.” This is why, even on the final day, the Woking team continued data collection efforts, conducting tests with maximum steering angles between runs to verify the aerodynamic map under conditions difficult to replicate in the wind tunnel, thanks to sensors placed across the car.
McLaren picks up where it left off, especially in race pace
Of course, it would be unrealistic to think the MCL39 is a perfect car without limitations. At the end of the first day, Lando Norris complained about a lack of rear stability on a track known for being particularly demanding on the rear end, especially in terms of tire wear. The challenge in Bahrain is that, in addition to being a rear-limited circuit, it also features long straights, requiring a good balance between top speed and rear-end stability.
After an uncertain first day, McLaren opted for a higher-downforce rear wing, as seen in the comparison images, which helped improve stability—except in strong wind conditions on Friday morning, where Lando Norris, running on lower fuel and higher temperatures, made a few minor mistakes.
Speaking of temperatures, this is another key topic to explore. The MCL38 had two main limitations: front graining and excessive rear tire wear in very hot races. The latter issue hampered the 2024 car in Sakhir twelve months ago and resurfaced in Miami—especially in qualifying rather than race pace—as well as in Imola.
Over the course of the year, McLaren’s engineers gradually improved rear-end management, but the lower temperatures in Bahrain during testing helped mitigate potential overheating issues.
This factor also explains the difference in performance trends between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s simulations on the second and third days under the same strategy, where the only variable was temperature. In both cases, however, the MCL39 emerged as the car with the best reference times. What stood out most was the improvement from the second to the third stint, when switching from the C1 compound—poorly received by most teams—to the more versatile C2, which suited the cooler conditions in Sakhir.
This difference can be attributed to specific factors: first, an increase in straight-line speeds, with a noticeable improvement compared to other stints, unlike what was observed in other teams’ simulations. Secondly, a pace increase in certain track sections, such as the second sector sequence and Turn 12, where the McLarens maintained strong performance for extended periods. This was also partly due to the increased grip provided to the rear by the C2 compound in the final run.
Beyond these considerations, the MCL39 has given the drivers good feedback, picking up where it left off. McLaren has undoubtedly started off on the right foot and appears to be heading to Australia as the favorite—but without the large advantage Red Bull enjoyed twelve months ago. The Melbourne race, however, will be more intriguing, especially given the circuit’s layout and the risk of graining, one of the issues that troubled the papaya car last year.
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