Solid Start to Bahrain GP Weekend for Russell and Antonelli Despite Early Setback

Solid Start to Bahrain GP Weekend for Russell and Antonelli Despite Early Setback

The 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend kicked off with mixed emotions for the team, but ended Friday on a strong note. After a tough start in Free Practice 1 (FP1), both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli bounced back in FP2 with competitive lap times and promising long-run pace.

FP1 proved to be more of a challenge than expected. Antonelli’s session was cut short due to a water leak, limiting him to just a few laps. Meanwhile, Reserve Driver Frederik Vesti stepped in for Russell as part of his scheduled practice sessions this season. Despite limited track time, Vesti completed the team’s programme and delivered valuable feedback to support setup decisions heading into the weekend.

While the timesheets in FP1 didn’t fully reflect the drivers’ potential—neither Antonelli nor Vesti ran the Soft compound—the team shifted gears in FP2.

Back in their respective cars for the second session, Russell and Antonelli showed strong pace on the Soft tyres. Russell clocked in with the third-fastest time of the session, while Antonelli secured P5, despite a minor error in Sector 1 during his flying lap.

“It was okay overall,” Russell reflected. “We expected McLaren to be strong here, and they were – especially in the middle sector. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re in the mix with Ferrari and Red Bull. This weekend will likely be more about race pace and managing tyre degradation than just qualifying.”

Antonelli echoed the positive sentiment: “FP1 was frustrating, but FP2 felt much better. The car was strong, and even though I made a mistake early in the lap, I was able to recover well. The long-run was tough—very different from testing—but I adapted quickly. Knowing the track helped me get up to speed fast.”

Looking ahead to Saturday, both drivers remain optimistic about their chances. While McLaren appears to be setting the pace, the team is aiming for a strong qualifying and believes there’s potential to challenge both Ferrari and Red Bull in race conditions.