The Bahrain GP sees the first major upgrades of 2025 being introduced, as teams visit a familiar circuit in Sakhir
A phenomenal weekend from Max Verstappen reminded the field of Red Bull’s title credentials, heightening the focus on this weekend’s upgrades.
With resources in modern F1 limited by wind tunnel restrictions and a budget cap, there is no margin for error with development.
It is with this mentality (especially given the fast-approaching 2026 regulations) that several teams introduce updates in Bahrain.
McLaren
Unlike other front-runners, McLaren’s approach to development since Miami last season has been to introduce small updates incrementally – rather than a single large package.
Their single upgrade for the Bahrain GP, a new front brake inlet, is a continuation of this trend.
The papaya team’s intention is to make marginal improvements to airflow and aerodynamic efficiency with this upgrade.
At a circuit that should suit the MCL39, McLaren will be confident regardless of the upgrades elsewhere on the field.
For their part, Andrea Stella’s engineers should have more upgrades ready in the coming weeks.
Ferrari
Ferrari’s upgrade package is comfortably the biggest of the weekend, with the Scuderia bringing 5 performance updates.
These include:
- Floor fences (performance)
- Floor body (performance)
- Floor edge (performance)
- Diffuser (performance)
- Rear wing (performance)
It is no secret that the SF-25 has fallen short of expectation to start the season.
This has sparked an instant reaction from Maranello, who are hopeful of a significant step forward with their latest package.
Not only should Ferrari’s new floor deliver more aerodynamic efficiency and downforce, but it will also determine whether the team have a strong enough platform to hunt down McLaren.
Red Bull
Two upgrades arrive to the RB21 this weekend – a new front wing (performance) and cooling louvres.
Having made a step forward with set-up last weekend, Red Bull are optimistic about their chances in 2025.
They don’t expect any massive progress in Sakhir, instead aiming to consolidate their baseline from last weekend and establish a wider operating window moving forward.
Their new front wing should further improve the RB21’s balance – which will be especially important for recent signing Yuki Tsunoda.
The rest of the field
Elsewhere on the grid, there are no upgrades to speak of for the Bahrain GP.
In many cases, this was already expected. Haas, for example, put an immense amount of effort into bringing a new floor for the Japanese GP – once again demonstrating their efficiency under Ayao Komatsu.
This update had an instant impact with Oliver Bearman, and Haas will look for further confirmation this weekend.
Elsewhere, Aston Martin are expected to bring their first upgrades to the AMR25 over the coming weeks.
Their priority, as outlined previously on LWOS, is to calibrate their new wind tunnel and ensure their correlation is accurate – which is crucial ahead of 2025.
No major changes for Mercedes and their W16, which could struggle in the high temperatures of Sakhir.
The Brackley-based team’s are more likely than any of the front-runners to prioritise 2026 development early – so it’s worth keeping an eye on this space.
Meanwhile, the likes of Sauber, Alpine and VCARB should bring their first updates in the coming weeks.
