2025 F1 Pre-Season Testing Power Rankings: Who’s on Top and Who’s in Trouble

With the 2025 Formula 1 pre-season testing now at a close, teams are gearing up for what promises to be an exciting season with McLaren potentially leading the way.

During testing at the Bahrain circuit, the Papaya team showed impressive speed and consistency on both short and long runs, despite struggling slightly in slow corners, an issue carried over from 2024. The team's confidence is high, although Andrea Stella admits the Australian Grand Prix will be the real test of their potential.

McLaren's achievements come off the back of a strong 2024 season where they took the fight to Red Bull as the dominant force in F1.

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Ferrari's performance in testing delivered mixed results, placing them in a tight contest alongside Red Bull and Mercedes. Some instability was noted in their SF-25 car, mainly due to new front suspension setup to control diving under braking. Although it’s the final year of the current regulations, Ferrari are feeling optimistic about the upgrades, and Lewis Hamilton is pumped to get the season started.

Red Bull aren't so optimistic about where they stand on the grid after testing. The first two days were overall positive for the Milton Keynes team, but after a water leak and a struggle on the last day of testing, Max Verstappen has admitted that there's still plenty of work to be done. Fortunately, they have time until the opening round of the season.

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Mercedes and its drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli both performed well over the three days of testing. The team remains uncertain if their performance improvements were due to actual gains or the favorable, cooler testing conditions. There are potentially concerns around the car, but time will tell.

Alpine, showing an improvement over their 2024’s struggles, aims for a better time this season. Their car was competitive despite minor front axle issues, fostering optimism among the team who hopes to secure a fifth-place finish in the standings. With new leadership in place, expectations are high.

In contrast, Haas executed their testing program focused heavily on integration of new drivers with substantial fuel loads. Despite this conservative approach, this was an important start to their season.

Williams was a surprise during testing, with runs particularly by Carlos Sainz hinting at a potential rise to a top-five or six team. Although the team understands its limitations, substantial improvements over the 2024 season were clear.

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Aston Martin faced a number of issues. The team appeared the least prepared, casting doubt on their readiness for the season. Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll faced their own challenges, with Alonso showing a lack of enthusiasm on the third day and Stroll unable to complete his sessions due to illness.

Racing Bulls continue to struggle with persistent balance issues, hindering faster times during testing. Drivers Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda showed an unsettled performance, keeping the team grounded for now.

Sauber managed a slight improvement from last year, but the car still presents challenges to drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.

2025 is the last year of the current technical regulations, forcing innovative attempts by teams to maximize performance before the change in regs in 2026. Testing's atypical weather, including cooler temperatures and occasional rain, made this week much more complex than it should have been for teams, making it hard for them to crack the code of tire performance.

The rookies' performances were another highlight. Andrea Kimi Antonelli's debut with Mercedes was strong, while other new faces like Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar are adjusting to their roles.

As the season approaches, expectations vary significantly across teams. Williams aims to climb the ranks, Alpine targets a small improvement, while Haas focuses strictly on building the foundations. McLaren’s strong performance could redefine the front of the grid, with other top teams like Ferrari and Red Bull vying to catch up.