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F1 returns to Sakhir this weekend for the Bahrain Grand Prix and round four of the 2025 F1 season.
It was another difficult weekend for Ferrari in Suzuka, short of pace compared to the frontrunners, with Charles Leclerc finishing in fourth and Lewis Hamilton down in seventh, though the Brit hinted that a change is forthcoming to the SF-25 car.
Now, the grid returns to Bahrain - where pre-season testing took place in February - for the second race in the Asian triple-header. Verstappen won last year’s race in Bahrain, leading home a Red Bull one-two.
Follow live updates from the Bahrain Grand Prix with The Independent - qualifying starts at 5pm (BST).
Bahrain GP start times and weekend schedule:
All times BST
Saturday 12 April
- Free practice 3: 1:30pm
- Qualifying: 5pm
Sunday 13 April
Kieran Jackson11 April 2025 17:09
Lando Norris leads the world championship by one point to Max Verstappen
TOP-10 - DRIVER STANDINGS
2. Max Verstappen – 61 points
3. Oscar Piastri – 49 points
4. George Russell –45 points
5. Kimi Antonelli – 30 points
6. Charles Leclerc – 20 points
7. Alex Albon – 18 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 10 points
10. Lance Stroll – 10 points
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 16:43
FLASHBACK: The year a scorching Bahrain Grand Prix smashed F1 temperature record
“I was so excited about the race that I didn’t even sweat,” Pedro De la Rosa tells The Independent. “I didn’t drink at all – back then if you didn’t put in a drinks bottle, you saved weight on the car. So, we didn’t even fit it.”
Performance over health? He won’t be the last in F1. Yet the second iteration of the Bahrain Grand Prix, 20 years ago, was the most extreme example in the sport’s 75-year history of drivers prioritising pace over physical condition. At 42.6C, beating 40C temperatures in Dallas and Detroit in the mid-1980s, it was the hottest F1 race ever.
Full feature below:
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 16:30
Lewis Hamilton ‘excited’ as Ferrari upgrade looks to kick-start F1 season in Bahrain
“We’ve got an upgrade this weekend, I’m excited,” he said on media day in Bahrain.
“We should hopefully have a bit more downforce. I’m not feeling a huge amount of issues, we lack overall performance at the moment pace-wise.
“Hopefully we take a step this weekend. From my side, it’s rear-end – and that’s it.”
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 16:16
Sebastian Vettel reveals ‘only regret’ from glory-laden F1 career
Sebastian Vettel admits that not speaking out on social, equality and climate issues earlier in his racing career is his “only regret” from his time in Formula One.
“When I started as a rookie, I was solely focused on racing and it was the only thing that was occupying my day,” Vettel told the BBC last month.
“But towards the last couple of years, I think it’s probably one of the things, maybe the only thing that I would say I regret, is not to speak out earlier in my career and seeing the potential power in terms of reach and audience that you might have as a professional athlete to inspire people.”
Full story below:
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 16:01
F1 constructor standings after the first three races:
1. McLaren - 111 points
2. Mercedes - 75 points
3. Red Bull - 61 points
4. Ferrari - 35 points
5. Williams - 19 points
6. Haas - 15 points
7. Aston Martin - 10 points
8. Racing Bulls - 7 points
9. Sauber - 6 points
10. Alpine - 0 points
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 15:43
McLaren boss admits there is ‘a lot of work to do’ to beat Max Verstappen in F1 title race
“When you have these indications from the track then maybe it reinforces the message that we do have to keep working well together,” said team principal Andrea Stella after the Japan GP.
“Because before it becomes an internal business only, I think there is quite a lot of work to do to clear some of the competitors.
“We don’t need these kinds of reminders because we talk about this every Thursday and Sunday of every race weekend. We are here first of all to beat the other teams and put McLaren in a very strong position.
“When McLaren is in a strong position that is the best position for the two drivers to pursue their aspirations. That is very clear to the team and very clear to the drivers.”
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 15:32
F1 driver standings after three races:
2. Max Verstappen – 61 points
3. Oscar Piastri – 49 points
4. George Russell –45 points
5. Kimi Antonelli – 30 points
6. Charles Leclerc – 20 points
7. Alex Albon – 18 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 10 points
10. Lance Stroll – 10 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg – 6 points
13. Isack Hadjar – 4 points
12. Ollie Bearman – 5 points
15. Carlos Sainz – 1 point
16. Pierre Gasly – 0 points
17. Liam Lawson – 0 points
18. Jack Doohan – 0 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points
20. Fernando Alonso – 0 points
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 15:15
VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton 'confident' that Ferrari can close gap to McLaren at Bahrain GP
Kieran Jackson12 April 2025 15:01
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