How Italian media reacted to Ferrari SF-25 performance in Bahrain F1 pre-season testing. An analysis of the Italian newspapers on Ferrari’s three days of testing in Bahrain .

Testing puzzle
As often happens, the few days of pre-season testing allowed for Formula 1 teams provide anything but a clear picture of the competitive hierarchy. Adding to the uncertainty was suboptimal weather, with wind and low temperatures in Sakhir, making any conclusions even more tentative.
Looking at the raw numbers, the best lap time over the three days was set by Carlos Sainz (Williams) on Day 2 with a 1’29.348, while the team that completed the most laps was Mercedes with a total of 458 (with Red Bull at the bottom of the list with 304).

Press review
Italian media focused their attention on Ferrari, which showed great potential but also struggled to find the right balance with the SF-25.

*La Gazzetta dello Sport*, through Luigi Perna, speaks of “Ferrari’s ups and downs,” highlighting the different approaches of Charles Leclerc, described as “uncertain,” and Lewis Hamilton, deemed “positive.” The article expresses hope that Ferrari “can fight for the championship,” but also speculates that “perhaps the reality is different.”

More optimistic is *Corriere dello Sport*, with Fulvio Solms titling his piece: “Ferrari, keep an eye on McLaren!” He analyzes how McLaren’s “only difficulty is hiding its true pace.” Regarding Ferrari, he notes “restrained enthusiasm, partly ahead of McLaren’s race pace and partly due to issues to resolve,” while Red Bull’s RB21 is called “mysterious” with an “immature project,” and Mercedes is described as “inscrutable.”

*Corriere della Sera*, with Daniele Sparisci, opts for the headline: “Hamilton, from smiles to a stop. A Ferrari that needs fixing.” He sees McLaren as “the favorite” and focuses on the SF-25’s troubles: “Lewis Hamilton was sidelined 40 minutes before the end of the session due to telemetry alarms related to the hydraulic system. Sensors were replaced, but it wasn’t a false alarm.” Here too, Red Bull is viewed as “a work in progress,” and Mercedes is seen as “less impressive over long runs.”

Alongside this, Giorgio Terruzzi describes the testing results as providing “weak clues,” focusing on internal team battles, particularly the Lando Norris – Oscar Piastri rivalry, with the Briton “doing everything to assert his status.”

*La Stampa*, with Jacopo D’Orsi, headlines its sports page: “Ferrari needs fine-tuning.” He sketches an early grid order: “McLaren dominates testing, Ferrari chases with Red Bull and Mercedes.” His Ferrari analysis states: “The SF-25 has great room for improvement, but the favorites are clearly the world champions,” referring to McLaren, credited with an “impressive race pace.”

Finally, Leo Turrini, writing for *Quotidiano Sportivo*, titles his piece: “Ferrari postponed, doubts arise.” The well-known journalist asks, “Red alert in Bahrain? Perhaps not, but still…” He concludes that “by the end of pre-season testing, Ferrari finds itself trapped in many doubts,” emphasizing that “the feelings are not particularly encouraging.” The SF-25 has yet to impress: “Postponed, let’s put it that way. Not very stable, never particularly brilliant. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ran at similar paces but drew conflicting conclusions about the car’s potential.” Leo Turrini interprets Charles Leclerc’s comments as “far from a celebration,” closing with a telling remark: “Good, maybe. But certainly not great.”