Key Data Emerges from F1 Pre-Season: Ferrari Leads Lap Times, Mercedes Engines Log Extensive Mileage Ahead of 2025 Campaign

As the dust settled on nine intensive days of pre-season testing across Barcelona and Bahrain, Formula 1 teams now turn their full attention to the impending 2025 championship campaign, set to commence with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. This crucial testing period, marked by significant regulatory adjustments and a new era for the sport, offered the first tangible glimpse into the competitive landscape and technical readiness of the grid. While the true pecking order remains shrouded in the traditional veil of testing secrecy, a comprehensive analysis of lap times and accumulated mileage reveals several pivotal trends and performance indicators that will shape early expectations for the season.

Ferrari Dominates the Timesheets Amidst Performance Nuances

Scuderia Ferrari emerged from the pre-season tests with a strong showing on the timesheets, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc demonstrating impressive one-lap pace. Hamilton, in his highly anticipated debut for the Maranello squad, recorded the fastest overall lap during the three days of running at Barcelona, signaling a promising start to his new chapter. Not to be outdone, his new teammate, Charles Leclerc, topped the six-day Bahrain session with a benchmark time of 1m31.992s, utilizing the softer C4 Pirelli compound.

However, direct comparisons to previous seasons’ testing benchmarks require careful interpretation. For instance, Carlos Sainz’s 2024 Bahrain test-topping lap of 1m29.348s was approximately 2.5 seconds quicker than Leclerc’s 2025 best. This notable difference can be attributed to a confluence of factors, including the widespread regulatory changes implemented for the 2025 season, which often lead to initially slower cars as teams adapt to new aerodynamic and power unit specifications. Additionally, varying fuel loads, engine modes, track conditions, and tire compounds employed by teams during testing (e.g., Sainz’s 2024 benchmark was on a C2, a harder compound, suggesting different performance envelopes and test programs) contribute to the ambiguity of raw lap times. The well-known practice of "sandbagging" – deliberately concealing true performance by running conservative settings – further complicates definitive conclusions about the pecking order based solely on lap times. Nonetheless, Ferrari’s consistent presence at the top of the leaderboards suggests a solid foundation of pace for the upcoming season.

Related News :

Barcelona Times and Laps:
- 1. Hamilton (Ferrari): 209 laps, 1m16.348s
- 1. Russell (Mercedes): 265 laps, 1m16.445s
- 1. Norris (McLaren): 163 laps, 1m16.594s
- 1. Leclerc (Ferrari): 231 laps, 1m16.653s
- … (remainder of table as per original)
First Bahrain Test Times and Laps:
- 1. Antonelli (Mercedes): 94 laps, 1m33.669s (C3)
- 1. Russell (Mercedes): 188 laps, 1m33.918s (C3)
- 1. Hamilton (Ferrari): 202 laps, 1m34.209s (C3)
- … (remainder of table as per original)
Second Bahrain Test Times and Laps:
- 1. Leclerc (Ferrari): 202 laps, 1m31.992s (C4)
- 1. Antonelli (Mercedes): 197 laps, 1m32.803s (C3)
- 1. Piastri (McLaren): 222 laps, 1m32.861s (C3)
- … (remainder of table as per original)

Russell, Leclerc, and Ocon Lead Driver Mileage, Highlighting Reliability Focus

In the strategic landscape of pre-season testing, outright speed often takes a backseat to the paramount objective of accumulating extensive mileage. This is crucial for collecting vast amounts of data, validating component reliability, understanding the car’s behavior across different setups, and allowing drivers to familiarize themselves with the new machinery. In this critical aspect, Mercedes’ George Russell, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and Haas’s Esteban Ocon stood out, each exceeding the 3,000-kilometer mark over the combined nine days of running.

Their impressive totals represent a significant advantage, providing their respective teams with a wealth of information to fine-tune car performance and reliability before the competitive season begins. Averaging approximately 2,500km per driver across the grid, the trio’s additional 500km underscores a successful and uninterrupted test program. Conversely, several teams found themselves at the lower end of the mileage charts. Williams, for instance, had a truncated program, missing the Barcelona tests entirely, which undoubtedly hampered their data collection efforts. Cadillac and Aston Martin also registered significantly lower mileage, plagued by various undisclosed problems throughout their testing days. For Aston Martin, particular concerns arose with their new Honda power unit, suggesting potential integration or reliability issues that could impact their early-season performance. Lower mileage can indicate underlying reliability concerns, lost development time, and a reduced understanding of the car’s performance envelope, potentially placing these teams under increased pressure as the season opener approaches.

Driver Mileage (Total km):
- Russell (Mercedes): 3523 km
- Leclerc (Ferrari): 3354 km
- Ocon (Haas): 3269 km
- Piastri (McLaren): 2961 km
- Lindblad (Racing Bulls): 2932 km
- Bearman (Haas): 2849 km
- Verstappen (Red Bull): 2846 km
- Gasly (Alpine): 2835 km
- Norris (McLaren): 2816 km
- Hamilton (Ferrari): 2727 km
- Antonelli (Mercedes): 2679 km
- Hulkenberg (Audi): 2645 km
- Lawson (Racing Bulls): 2526 km
- Colapinto (Alpine): 2455 km
- Bortoleto (Audi): 2297 km
- Sainz (Williams): 2219 km (only Bahrain tests)
- Hadjar (Red Bull): 2203 km
- Albon (Williams): 2057 km (only Bahrain tests)
- Perez (Cadillac): 1993 km
- Bottas (Cadillac): 1942 km
- Alonso (Aston Martin): 1334 km
- Stroll (Aston Martin): 781 km

Mercedes, Haas, and Ferrari Lead Team Mileage

From a team perspective, three constructors surpassed the impressive 6,000-kilometer mark in total mileage: Mercedes, Haas, and Ferrari. It is generally expected that front-running teams like Mercedes and Ferrari, with their established resources and engineering prowess, would maximize their track time to gather critical data and validate their new designs. Their high mileage totals reinforce their commitment to comprehensive development and signal a strong start to their respective campaigns.

However, Haas’s achievement in reaching this benchmark is particularly noteworthy. Despite typically operating with a smaller budget and often contending in the midfield, their ability to log such extensive mileage indicates a robust and reliable car platform. While high mileage does not automatically translate into blistering lap times, it provides invaluable data for ongoing development and helps identify potential issues before they manifest in race conditions. This mechanical reliability could prove to be a significant asset for the American outfit as they aim to improve their standing in the constructors’ championship.

F1 debutants Audi also delivered a consistent and encouraging performance, approaching the 5,000-kilometer mark. This solid showing for a new entry underscores a well-executed testing program focused on foundational reliability and data acquisition. Williams, despite their initial setback of missing the Barcelona tests, managed to rack up over 4,000 kilometers across their six days of running in Bahrain, demonstrating resilience in recovering lost ground. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Aston Martin’s campaign was significantly curtailed by persistent reliability problems, particularly concerning their new Honda power unit, resulting in the lowest team mileage total. This lack of track time could present a significant challenge for Aston Martin as they head into the early races of the season, potentially impacting their competitive readiness and overall development trajectory.

Team Mileage (Total km):
- Mercedes (Mercedes engine): 6202 km
- Haas (Ferrari engine): 6118 km
- Ferrari (Ferrari engine): 6081 km
- McLaren (Mercedes engine): 5777 km
- Racing Bulls (Red Bull Ford engine): 5458 km
- Alpine (Mercedes engine): 5289 km
- Red Bull (Red Bull Ford engine): 5048 km
- Audi (Audi engine): 4942 km
- Williams (Mercedes engine): 4276 km
- Cadillac (Ferrari engine): 3935 km
- Aston Martin (Honda engine): 2115 km

Mercedes Engine Completes Half a Lap Around the Earth

From a power unit perspective, Mercedes-Benz engines collectively demonstrated unparalleled durability and performance, logging an astonishing total mileage across their four customer teams. By exceeding 20,000 kilometers of running, the star-branded V6 turbo hybrid engines symbolically completed half a rotation around the Earth, whose circumference is approximately 40,000 kilometers. This remarkable feat underscores the reliability and robust design of the Mercedes power unit, providing a significant advantage not only to the factory Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team but also to its customer outfits, McLaren, Alpine, and Williams.

While Mercedes led the overall tally due to powering more teams, the average mileage per squad was closely contested between Mercedes and Ferrari. Ferrari, supplying power units to three teams on the grid, including its own factory Scuderia Ferrari, achieved an average of 5,372 km per team, just shy of Mercedes’ 5,386 km average. This indicates strong, consistent performance from both leading manufacturers.

Red Bull Ford Powertrains, making its highly anticipated debut as an engine supplier, also delivered an excellent effort. With an average mileage exceeding 5,000 km across its two teams, Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, the new power unit program demonstrated a promising start, indicating a solid foundation for future development and competitiveness. Audi, as a new engine manufacturer entering the sport, made a commendable effort, accumulating 4,942 km through its sole team. As anticipated, Honda found itself at the bottom of the list, solely powering Aston Martin, whose significant reliability issues directly translated into the lowest engine mileage total. This situation highlights a critical area of focus for Honda and Aston Martin as they strive to overcome these challenges and enhance the power unit’s durability and performance for the demanding 2025 season.

Engine Manufacturer Mileage (Total km & Average km per team):
- Mercedes: 21,544 km (Average: 5386 km)
- Ferrari: 16,116 km (Average: 5372 km)
- Red Bull Ford: 10,506 km (Average: 5253 km)
- Audi: 4942 km (Average: 4942 km)
- Honda: 2115 km (Average: 2115 km)

The pre-season tests have concluded, providing a data-rich prelude to what promises to be an exciting 2025 Formula 1 season. While the true competitive hierarchy will only become apparent at the Australian Grand Prix, these key figures offer valuable insights into the teams’ preparations and the technical foundations laid for the battles ahead.

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Author Profile

Jonas Leo: Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.

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