McLaren name shock contender to break into F1 'big four'

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has named Williams as a shock contender to break into Formula 1's 'top four'. 

Williams' new signing Carlos Sainz topped the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, with the Grove-based outfit looking very promising over one lap. 

According to Stella, Williams have been very strong through the middle sector of the Bahrain International Circuit, which features heavy braking, acceleration and medium speed corners. 

The McLaren boss is clearly keeping an eye on Sainz and Alex Albon, in particular when it comes to the one lap pace pecking order.

"I've seen that in terms of one lap pace in addition to the top four, that it seems to certainly be Williams [who look] very competitive," Stella told select media including RacingNews365. 

"I'm really stating the obvious, because I'm sure everyone will have seen the data. It's the same data that I look at. 

"And it's interesting that, for instance, Williams was very strong in the second sector, which is not only a sector of breaking and acceleration but also a sector with a couple of medium speed corners. 

"So I think this shows that Williams might have improved in that area."

Stella eyes Q1 pressure

It is not just Williams who have looked promising over one lap, with Alpine having also featured towards the top of the timesheets. 

Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly were eighth and ninth on the day two timesheets, whilst Aston Martin's Lance Stroll was sixth quickest. 

The 2025 F1 season is looking set to be extremely competitive, especially in qualifying. Stella predicts that Q1 sessions this year will be even more difficult than before. 

"Already last year, going through qualifying sessions, it was quite tight," added Stella. 

"The Q1 session, not just towards the end of the season, but it's those sessions in which you enter and you think we're going to go through with one set of tyres, just the first run will be enough.

"Often we needed to go out again, and it was still quite close from a lap time point of view. 

"And what I've taken [from testing] is that if anything it's going to be even [closer] as we start this 2025 season."