WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Strategic thinking versus risk taking in Sakhir

9 April 2025

FIA Formula 3 returns to Sakhir for the second round of the 2025 campaign. Following three days of in-season testing, the teams and drivers will be well versed with the circuit right away, but who can maximise what they learned?

The new car means everyone will have areas to improve still, and the aim is always to make gains wherever possible. Whether that means we will see a mixed-up order or repeat of Melbourne remains to be seen.

Here are a few items you’ll want to keep a close watch over this weekend in Bahrain.

Tyre whisperers

Tyre wear will play a big role so drivers who can balance speed and preservation will be well served

The unique characteristics of the Bahrain International Circuit’s track surface along with the weather conditions means that tyres are subjected to a lot of punishment across a stint.

Whether it’s a flying lap and ultimate pace or a drawn-out race stint in the Feature Race, the driver and team that can best manage the thermal degradation will be rewarded.

But who has gotten a handle on the new and larger 16-inch Pirelli tyres at this early stage of the season? In-season testing will have gone a long way in helping everyone understand the tyres for this season, but even so, a delicate handling of the Hard compound tyre will still be required.

Bahrain’s track is an abrasive surface in comparison to other venues on the calendar, meaning tyre degradation is further heightened as the tyres scrub along the rougher top layer.

Returning drivers will have an advantage over the newcomers on the 2025 grid having completed a race weekend in Sakhir already. They will be aiming to utilise that experience and implement improvements to maximise their pace.

Rookies will have been able to experience race simulations during testing, but with the race weekend scheduled later in the year compared to usual, the demand on the tyres will be even higher than usual due to higher temperatures.

TRIDENT at the top?

TRIDENT were in formidable form in Melbourne and will aim to carry that into Round 2

Round 1 was a very strong statement for TRIDENT as the Italian team secured a 1-2 in Qualifying and the Feature Race. They may well have gone 1-2-3, but for a self-admission by Charlie Wurz that his final Qualifying effort hadn’t been the cleanest, but P6 wasn’t a dismal result either.

Their conversion in the Feature Race and triple points scoring result means they have a healthy early advantage in the Teams’ Standings, leading with 54 points and are 25 clear of Van Amersfoort Racing in second.

Rafael Câmara leads the Drivers’ Championship, while teammate Noah Stromsted is third, and both have been very impressive as rookies already. Handling the tough conditions in a wet weather Feature Race in Melbourne, neither look flustered as they secured their first podiums in F3.

The team appeared to carry their strong early season form into testing also, as Câmara set the fastest time of the week on the final morning and appeared comfortable on the longer runs later in the day.

Whether that advantage holds up for the race weekend or not will be interesting to see, but there’s no doubting that TRIDENT have started this new era in F3 on the front foot.

Qualifying conundrum

Track position in Qualifying will play a pivotal role in setting the grid

TRIDENT’s strong Melbourne weekend began in Qualifying as the Italian team’s strategy put them in the best position to benefit from the late Red Flag that prevented final improvements from others.

By taking the risk of running earlier in the session when, theoretically, the track is not yet at its best, meant that their drivers had a strong laptime on the board before the final moments of Qualifying.

It was something Team Manager Giacomo Ricci put particular emphasis on when reviewing the weekend after the Feature Race, admitting that it set the team up for success on Sunday.

Turning focus back onto the Sakhir race weekend, the layout of the track means that a Red Flag stoppage is unlikely, as the purpose-built circuit doesn’t promote as many mistakes as the Albert Park street circuit.

However, what could still be a hurdle to overcome is traffic. Ideal track position going into the all-important final run is highly coveted, meaning that while Red Flags aren’t the issue, the need to find clean air can result in some drivers missing out on their final flying laps.

How teams handle this will factor into the outcome of the session, but could we see someone take a risk like TRIDENT and have their cars run earlier than most to benefit from a clear track?