Photo: Mercedes
Tereza Hořínková
News.gp journalist and a girl with big dreamsGeorge Russell topped the timesheets on the last day of pre-season testing, followed by Max Verstappen and Alex Albon.
Mercedes ended the final day of testing on a high note, with George Russell setting the fastest time of the day with a 1:29.545s. His lap came in the final minutes of the afternoon session, narrowly beating Max Verstappen by just 0.021s. Andrea Kimi Antonelli also had a strong showing in the morning session, setting a 1:30.888s, which placed him 10th overall.
Red Bull focused on both performance and data collection throughout the day, with Max Verstappen running strong in both sessions. He led most of the afternoon before Russell edged ahead in the final minutes, finishing second with a 1:29.566s. The team also experimented with flow-vis paint on the RB21 during the session, gathering aerodynamic data. Verstappen’s pace was consistent across both sessions, suggesting Red Bull remains in a strong position heading into the season.
Williams impressed on the final day, with Alexander Albon setting the third-fastest time overall, a 1:29.650s. More importantly, he logged 137 laps, the most of any driver, allowing the team to collect extensive long-run data. Williams showed promising pace across multiple sessions, and Albon’s performance suggests they could be competitive in 2025.
McLaren had a productive day, with Oscar Piastri securing fourth place overall with a 1:29.940s. Lando Norris, who drove in the morning session, finished 11th with a 1:30.943s after a slow start but showed improved pace later on. The team managed a solid number of laps and demonstrated competitive speed, suggesting they are well-prepared for the opening race.
Alpine saw both Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan complete the final day of running. Gasly ended the day in fifth place with a 1:30.040s, while Doohan, who ran in the morning session, finished 12th with a 1:31.239s. The team gathered crucial data, though their outright speed remains uncertain compared to direct midfield rivals.
Ferrari had a mixed final day, with Charles Leclerc leading the morning session with a 1:30.811s, but only placing ninth overall by the end of the day. Lewis Hamilton encountered an issue in the afternoon session that limited him to just 47 laps, but he still managed the sixth-fastest time with a 1:30.345s. While their pace was solid, the reliability issue on Hamilton’s car might be a concern heading into the first race.
Racing Bulls had a consistent showing, with Yuki Tsunoda finishing seventh with a 1:30.497s, while Isack Hadjar ended in 15th with a 1:31.761s. Both drivers completed valuable mileage, with Tsunoda showing competitive pace in the midfield battle.
Haas had a strong final day, with Esteban Ocon setting the team’s fastest lap of the entire test at 1:30.728s, finishing eighth overall. Oliver Bearman, who ran in the morning, suffered a setback when a piece of his engine cover detached, but he still managed a 1:32.361s, placing him 18th. The team completed a good amount of laps and seemed to make progress with setup work.
Aston Martin had an interrupted day as Fernando Alonso was forced to stop at the pit exit early in the morning session before being wheeled back to the garage. He recovered to set a 1:32.084s, placing 16th. Lance Stroll, who was unwell in the morning but returned for the afternoon session, finished 13th with a 1:31.699s. The team’s final day was not the smoothest, but they still gathered data ahead of the season opener.
Sauber had a steady but unspectacular final day, with Nico Hulkenberg finishing 14th with a 1:31.726s and Gabriel Bortoleto ending 17th with a 1:32.147s. Bortoleto’s session was briefly disrupted when he had to return to the garage due to an issue with the car, though the team managed to send him back out later. While not among the fastest teams, Sauber gathered important long-run data.
The final session was briefly halted due to an unusual incident when a bus was seen driving along a service road next to the track. Fortunately, it quickly exited without causing any issues. With pre-season testing now complete, teams will now shift their focus to the opening race, where the true competitive order will finally be revealed.
POSITION | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
George Russell |
Mercedes | 1:29.545 | |
2 |
Max Verstappen |
Red Bull | 1:29.566 | |
3 |
Alexander Albon |
Williams | 1:29.650 | |
4 |
Oscar Piastri |
McLaren | 1:29.940 | |
5 |
Pierre Gasly |
Alpine | 1:30.040 | |
6 |
Lewis Hamilton |
Ferrari | 1:30.345 | |
7 |
Yuki Tsunoda |
Racing Bulls | 1:30.497 | |
8 |
Esteban Ocon |
Haas | 1:30.728 | |
9 |
Charles Leclerc |
Ferrari | 1:30.811 | |
10 |
Kimi Antonelli |
Mercedes | 1:30.888 | |
11 |
Lando Norris |
McLaren | 1:30.943 | |
12 |
Jack Doohan |
Alpine | 1:31.239 | |
13 |
Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin | 1:31.699 | |
14 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
Sauber | 1:31.726 | |
15 |
Isack Hadjar |
Racing Bulls | 1:31.761 | |
16 |
Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin | 1:32.084 | |
17 |
Gabriel Bortoleto |
Sauber | 1:32.147 | |
18 |
Oliver Bearman |
Haas | 1:32.361 |
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