On the second day of pre-season testing, Andrea Stella of McLaren suggested that Williams could contribute to forming a “top five or top six” in the F1 2025 championship.
With the conclusion of pre-season testing in Bahrain, speculations about the pecking order heading into the F1 2025 season have started.
Whereas experts and fans speculate, teams analyze the data gathered during the three days of testing to see how they have faired against the competition.
“Every team will always be looking at the information they have in relation to competitors,” says McLaren team principal Andrea Stella.
Tests show a competitive field for F1 2025 season
Speaking to the media on Day 2 of testing for the F1 2025 season, Stella noted that on quali pace, the teams look closer in pace, which could lead to more teams fighting for the top few positions.
McLaren entered the established group, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes, of front runners in a spectacular fashion, winning the constructors’ title their first year back at the top.
Stella believes this year, the last of the current regulations, could see the front-running group expand even further.
“Definitely, we talked about not getting distracted by what we see from competitors.
“The long-run pace… it looks encouraging. At the same time, we see that at low fuel, there are definitely several cars that are in the condition to put together very competitive lap times, which I think are competitive in absolute terms.
“So, if anything, my take so far is that I was thinking, before coming here, that in the past, we used to talk about the top three.
“Then, thankfully, McLaren has kind of added, now we have the top four.
“But perhaps this year, we might have to adapt our language again, which would be great for Formula 1 and then maybe the top five or the top six.
“So, we will see. Certainly, there seem to be a few quick cars out there.”
Williams is a potential contender for mixing it with top teams
Heading into the F1 2025 season, a strong contender for a coveted spot among the Top teams could be Williams, who showed good form during pre-season testing, says Stella.
Williams’ new edition Carlos Sainz set the fastest lap time over the three days of testing for F1’s 2025 season.
Stella, however, notes that Williams’ performance in Sector 2 of the Bahrain International Circuit was particularly noteworthy.
Unlike Sectors 1 & 3, Sector 2 is marked by medium-speed corners in which Williams showed a “very strong” performance.
“Five or six, we don’t know.
“Well, we’ve seen that in terms of one lap pace in addition to the top four that seemed to be, certainly, Williams are very competitive.
“I’m not really stating the obvious because I’m sure everyone will have seen the data. They have 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 braking acceleration, is also a sector with a couple of medium-speed corners.
“So, I think this should say that Williams might have improved in that area.”
The grid was already closer last season
The Italian recalled that the field was already closer at the beginning of last year and only got closer towards the end of the season.
With the lap-times getting closer, the teams could no longer rely on making it through on one a single set of tyres.
Stella sees the trend continuing for the F1 2025 season as the field grows to be more and more competitive.
“And over the two days, I’ve seen, like I said, at times, some of the teams in condition to put together quick lap times.
“I haven’t checked enough. Like in reality you should look at the GPS overlays like it’s not only the sector times or the lap times. You should go through a thorough analysis.
“But the early indications already last year, going through qualifying sessions, it was quite tight.
“The Q1 session, it wasn’t any more towards the end of the season 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 times point of view.
“And what I’ve taken from these two days is that if anything is going to be even more of these as we start this 2025 season.”
The F1 2025 season starts next week, with the season opener in Melbourne being the first opportunity for the teams to show where they stand in what could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent F1 history.
