Teams often try to hide the true potential of their challengers ahead of the new campaign to hide secrets from the hawk-eyed experts in other garages. Ferrari seemingly tried to do just that on day two of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Yesterday, Lewis Hamilton was said to have had a bad start. Journalists on track were reporting that he struggled with the balance of the car.
However, on Thursday, the seven-time World Champion grew much more accustomed to the SF-25. Ferrari did not want to reveal Hamilton’s true pace, but highlighted—in addition to the number of laps he put in—how he was eager to push even further.
A summary released by the Maranello-based outfit revealed Hamilton’s proceedings in Sakhir. It read:
“As was the case yesterday in Sakhir, Lewis was first out on track in the SF-25, gathering more data for the team, but also beginning to push harder to get a better understanding of the new car.”
“The Englishman spent the entire time on the C3 tyres, switching between used and new sets. As mentioned, there was a break in the session when the rain started to get heavier, but as soon as it blew over, Lewis was back at work, setting his best time of 1’29”379, making him the fastest of the morning runners.”
Another session for Lewis complete ✅
We’ll have Charles back behind the wheel in the afternoon session pic.twitter.com/IWdYiDUkSy
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 27, 2025
Ferrari also revealed that Hamilton had completed 115 laps—a mammoth effort by the 40-year-old as he aims to make history by winning his eighth world title.
However, achieving that goal requires more than just a fast car; it demands extra effort off the track as well. Hamilton has been putting in the work, consistently being the first driver to arrive at the track and one of the last to leave.
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Hamilton will be back in the SF-25 tomorrow for the final time before the season kicks off in Australia next month, with many watching closely to see if he has gained more confidence in the car. He finished P2 on Thursday, finishing 0.031 seconds behind Carlos Sainz, whom he replaced at Ferrari.
With 60 minutes to go, we have @Carlossainz55 at the top of the timesheets!
1⃣ Sainz
2⃣ Hamilton
3⃣ Leclerc#F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/QSfIzzuow1— Formula 1 (@F1) February 27, 2025
Typically, the final day of pre-season testing sees most teams run proper performance programs. As a result, Ferrari may allow both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to push their cars to the limit, revealing the true extent of their pace.
Having said that, up until now, even Leclerc has been coy about the team’s competitiveness. “Everybody is hiding their true performance,” he said when asked about his feelings about the SF-25.
The Monegasque kept his review of the SF-25 as vague as possible. That’s because no team wants to be labeled the outright favorite—it would put a target on their back for the rest of the season.
