FIA announce F1 testing CHANGE after major track error… read more
The first day of 2025 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit was marked by an unexpected turn of events, as a power outage brought the afternoon session to a grinding halt. The sudden loss of power plunged the circuit into darkness, prompting a red flag and a delay of over an hour. This unexpected interruption had a significant impact on the drivers who had not participated in the morning session, including Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, as it greatly reduced the amount of time they had available to test their cars.
However, in a welcome move, the FIA announced that the afternoon session would be extended by an hour to make up for the lost time. This decision was a lifeline for drivers like Verstappen, who had been looking forward to getting valuable track time in their 2025 cars. With only two more days of testing scheduled at the Bahrain International Circuit, every minute counts, and the extension of the afternoon session was a welcome reprieve for the drivers.
Verstappen, in particular, was handed a lifeline by the FIA’s decision. As it stands, he will only have one full day of testing in his RB21, which is scheduled for Friday. This makes the afternoon session on Wednesday crucial for the Dutchman to get himself dialled in to his 2025 car. With the extension of the session, Verstappen will now have more time to fine-tune his car and get a feel for its handling.
Leclerc, on the other hand, is sharing driving duties with his teammate Lewis Hamilton on all three days of testing. Hamilton made his debut with Ferrari during the morning session on Wednesday, finishing fifth among the 10 drivers who participated. The afternoon session will see Leclerc take the reins, and with the extension of the session, he will now have more time to test his car and prepare for the upcoming season.
The power outage that caused the delay was an unusual incident, and it highlighted the importance of having contingency plans in place. The FIA’s decision to extend the afternoon session was a testament to their commitment to ensuring that the drivers have enough time to test their cars. With the extension, the afternoon session will now finish at 5 pm GMT, instead of the originally scheduled 4 pm GMT.
As the 2025 pre-season testing continues, the drivers will be eager to make the most of the available time to fine-tune their cars and prepare for the upcoming season. The extension of the afternoon session on Wednesday was a welcome move, and it will undoubtedly help the drivers to get more out of their testing program. With two more days of testing scheduled, the drivers will be pushing hard to get every last bit of performance out of their cars.
