After topping the timing sheets on Day 1 of the 2025 Pre-season test, McLaren’s Lando Norris had a pretty quiet day today at the Sakhir International Circuit. The #4 driver finished P14 at the end of the day with a fastest lap time that was 1.5 seconds slower than the leader, Carlos Sainz.
Despite this, Sky Sports F1 expert and former F1 driver, Karun Chandhok believes that the Woking-based team’s rivals are surely concerned by the MCL39’s competitiveness. He pointed out how the characteristics of their 2025 challenger fit the bill in almost every department.
“The McLaren looks driver-friendly, predictable and has all the traits you would want, so they will be happy. I don’t think Ferrari or Mercedes will be too disappointed but equally they will be concerned about the McLaren pace,” he explained.
When McLaren launched their 2025 car two weeks ago in a shakedown behind closed doors in Silverstone, their team principal, Andrea Stella, had also made some ambitious claims about their car’s design, which could ring the alarm bells in their rival camps.
The Italian engineer stated how the car is not just an evolution of its predecessor from 2024 as almost all components from the front wing to the crash structure have seen ‘substantial’ upgrades. McLaren probably don’t want to lift their foot off the gas pedal after the kind of success they have tasted last year.
Post their Constructors’ championship triumph in 2024, the Woking-based team are being touted as the favorites to lift the title again in the last year of the incumbent ground effect regulations. But Day 2 of the Bahrain test left them with lap times only good enough for P14 and P13 (Oscar Piastri).
Day 2 ✅
Here’s how things stand at the end of another day of #F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/BntrAhWKfF
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 27, 2025
Having said that, these lap times during testing always have to be taken with a pinch of salt. It could be the case that the McLaren duo were running race simulations which could lead to different engine settings and a higher fuel load, all of which hurt the lap times.
Norris remains coy about McLaren’s competitiveness in 2025
No driver ever wants to give into the hype of testing times before the season begins. And Norris was the same after setting the fastest lap time of the first day of testing. When quizzed about the ultimate pace of the car, he downplayed expectations.
“The pace of the car? It’s just difficult to tell. We’re just doing our own thing, learning about the car. There’s plenty of things we need to still learn about and test,” he said.
Going into this season, McLaren will be expecting a tough fight from the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. The competition had been close towards the end of last year, and the top four teams could all be in the mix for the title.
Looking at the testing form book, the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell seem to be comfortable with the W16. In terms of reliability, the Silver Arrows have been clocking in laps that will give them confidence.
On the other hand, the picture with Red Bull seems to be a bit vague. Max Verstappen has only had half-a-day’s running in the RB21 with Liam Lawson taking the seat for the entire day on Thursday. Moreover, the duo have seemingly struggled with the handling of the car as well, with Lawson spinning out yesterday.
