The first day of free practice at the Bahrain 8 Hours has concluded, with Aston Martin Valkyrie #009 and BMW #20 topping the morning and afternoon sessions respectively. The two practice sessions, held at 10:15 and 15:00 local time, allowed teams and drivers to validate simulator work during the break between the Fuji round and the arrival in Sakhir. FP1 was led by Sorensen in the Valkyrie #009, while FP2 saw van der Linde in the BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 at the top of the timesheets.
Throughout both sessions, teams focused primarily on race pace. Sunday’s race is expected to be complex, with potential interruptions and tyre management playing a critical role in Bahrain. Michelin brought medium and hard compounds to Sakhir, while LMGT3 teams are using the Goodyear hard tyres introduced earlier in Brazil.
WEC 2025 – Bahrain 8 Hours FP1 analysis
FP1 was led by Marco Sorensen in the Aston Martin #009 with a lap time of 1:49.697, ahead of the yellow AF Corse Ferrari 499P and the other Valkyrie completing the virtual podium. Track and ambient conditions were predictably hot, with temperatures around 37°C on the asphalt and 30°C in the air.
The session focused almost exclusively on long runs. Although this time of day is not representative of race conditions, the 90 minutes available were crucial for collecting initial feedback from the track. Ferrari officials confirmed that extensive simulator work has been done to ensure teams arrive at the race weekend fully prepared.
With no team wanting to reveal their full pace early in the weekend, interpreting the results was challenging. Ferrari #50 stood out thanks to Miguel Molina, who completed seven laps with an excellent average of 1:53.066. Only three cars managed an average lap under 1:54, including Cadillac #12, third in the championship, with a remarkable stint by Will Stevens—the longest among the top three.
Fuel loads and tyre compounds remain unknown, as live timing does not display this information (Michelin has provided medium and hard tyres this weekend). Paul di Resta also delivered a strong stint in the Peugeot #93, while Rast and Frijns impressed in the BMW #20. Kamui Kobayashi in the Toyota #7 completed the longest stint overall, alternating with shorter runs. Aston Martin, as expected, continues to face challenges with tyre management.
Many drivers likely ran different power levels to better assess tyre wear. Warm-up of the tyres is less critical than usual due to high temperatures, although evening conditions could still influence performance. Between sessions, teams refined their setups, with FP2 providing far more representative conditions than FP1.
WEC 2025 – Bahrain 8 Hours FP2 analysis
FP2, held from 15:00 to 16:30 local time, continued the work on race pace and occasional qualifying simulations. BMW #20, driven by van der Linde, topped the session with a 1:48.780 lap, ahead of Sorensen’s Valkyrie, once again near the top. Jean-Éric Vergne’s Peugeot #93 rounded out the virtual podium with a 1:49.201 lap.
The second session was cooler than FP1, with track temperatures dropping to 30°C while air temperature remained stable at 27°C. Lap times improved significantly, both for race pace and single-lap performance. Teams alternated between fast and slow laps in stints of varying lengths.
As usual, all drivers began with a flying lap, then refined the setups determined by the factory during the lunch break. Cadillac stood out with Norman Nato setting one of the best average laps of the day in #12 with 1:53.395. Ferrari remained competitive, supported by strong tyre management in the 499P.
Porsche, quieter in FP1, showed solid race pace in the evening session. Toyota was consistent across both sessions; with a better BoP than usual and a track suiting the GR010 Hybrid, Kobayashi’s #7 displayed remarkable consistency. BMW impressed with Magnussen’s pace, while Peugeot and Aston Martin lagged behind.
WEC 2025 – Bahrain 8 Hours: the human factor in the race
As in previous rounds this season, the race appears open to surprises. Most cars are closely matched in pace, making human factors such as strategy and errors decisive. Porsche, Ferrari, and Cadillac currently seem strongest across the three sessions. Toyota remains a contender, showing impressive form in the final race for the GR010 before the debut of the evolved version next year.
Nick de Vries commented on Saturday’s prospects: “Historically, Bahrain has always been a track that suits us. Its characteristics match our car. It has been a difficult season, and we hope to finish it on a positive note,” he told Sportscar365. LMDh entries from BMW and Alpine are close behind, with BMW appearing solid at the end of the day. Teams will continue setup work overnight, with final judgments on race performance postponed until tomorrow.
Cadillac continues to impress. The V-Series.R had already shown strong pace in Brazil in hot conditions and high tyre degradation, although BoP favored LMDh cars at that time. Leading again on Saturday would be an important confirmation, cementing a season of growth with Jota that started challenging.
The next session is FP3, the final practice before qualifying.
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