Mercedes and Aston Martin to stage filming days before Bahrain pre-season testing
It has emerged that at least two F1 outfits, Mercedes and Aston Martin plan to stage filming days at the Bahrain International Circuit before the three-day pre-season testing kicks of on 26 February.
After the inaugural launch event that will take place in London on February 18, the F1 teams will make the trip to Bahrain for their final preparation for the 24-race season. The Bahrain International Circuit will host three days of pre-season testing in 2025 on February 26, 27 and 28.
The track has hosted pre-season testing on six separate occasions since 2009, with its consistent weather conditions, mixture of high and low-speed corners, and two long straights enabling F1 teams to gather maximum data for the campaign ahead.
It has now emerged that at least two teams will complete on-track running before the collecting test kick off on Wednesday. Mercedes and Aston Martin are believed to intend to carry out a filming day on 25 February in Manama, performing vital checks a day before the official running begins.
However, both teams will show off the livery of their new cars at the F1 75 event on 18 February at the O2 Arena in London.
The Sporting Regulations allow teams to carry out two filming days during a calendar year when they are permitted to cover up to 200 kilometres. These short sessions are typically used for a ‘shakedown’ to ensure the cars are functioning correctly and to address any initial issues before pre-season testing.
