Hamilton among the biggest winners from 2025 F1 pre-season testing

Lewis Hamilton

Questions do remain about just where Hamilton stacks up after he did not set a true race-style run across testing, but his first pre-season test went just about as well as he could have hoped.

He was a driver who felt thoroughly disconnected from the Mercedes under him in the last couple of years, and whilst it was nothing conclusive, he looked and sounded more at ease in the SF-25 than any Mercedes of the ground effects era. 

He gave the usual platitudes about the car and experience of testing, with Carlos Sainz just pipping him to the fastest time of the entire test.

The time Hamilton did on Thursday would have been good enough for a front-row slot at last year's GP, crucially some seven-tenths clear of his own qualifying time in the Mercedes.

As good, or bad, as a car is, a driver's mental mindset heading into a season accounts for a lot, and Hamilton appears to be in the best place since the start of 2021.

McLaren

It is one thing to transition from hunter to being the hunted, but based on testing, with all the usual caveats included, McLaren heads into the new season installed as the favourites for the world championships. 

Lando Norris's long run on Thursday was eye-catching, placing into the shade efforts from Charles Leclerc, Liam Lawson and Kimi Antonelli on the same day, with Oscar Piastri also enjoying a strong week in a car that looks like a clear step forward from the 2024 championship winner.

This run from Norris compared to McLaren's rivals must be caveated with different tyre usage through the stints, and the weather being vastly colder than expected for April's GP at a track McLaren has historically struggled at. 

But caveat this, caveat that, a fast racing car will always show itself.

Kimi Antonelli

The first time Kimi Antonelli drove Mercedes' 2024 car, he crashed it in FP1 at Monza after attempting to drive a Q3 pole lap in the opening minutes on a green, dusty track.

The first time Kimi Antonelli drove Mercedes' 2025 car, he looked assured in Bahrain after gradually building up into the test. 

Replacing Hamilton is no easy task, but this was a good week for Mercedes overall. Antonelli's mantra of being 'the next Mercedes driver' and not Hamilton's replacement is a good one to have and he looks ready for his rookie season. 

Of course, there were the odd lock-up and snaps here and there, but the same could be said for anyone on the grid.

Williams

Chances of Williams scoring the fastest lap of the test on a legitimate lap, and not on a last-minute banzai glory run speaks volumes.

Sainz said he still feels "lost" in the car, but ended up quickest of all across the three days, with the FW47 he and Alex Albon will be driving looking planted, compliant, and just an all-round strong package.

This is not to say they will be challenging the top four teams for wins and podiums off the bat, but its pace has even caught the eye of McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who believes it could latch onto the leading outfits. 

For a team that finished ninth in 2024, that represents a strong winter as James Vowles' rebuilding project is beginning to yield results.

Alpine

Alpine turned up in 2024 with a car that was slow, over-weight and under-powered, and this was reflected in the times. 

A year on, Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan enjoyed test in a machine which looks as if the team has continued with the strong package that ended the 2024 campaign. 

From backmarker fodder, Alpine now finds itself firmly in place at the head of the midfield, vying with Williams for the best of the rest behind McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull.