Bahrain F1 test back underway after red flag due to power outage

Comply with live text coverage of the Bahrain pre-season test here.

The second session on the opening day of 2025 System 1 pre-season testing was suspended for over an hour resulting from an influence lower within the area surrounding the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit.

The difficulty struck simply previous 5pm native time, with slightly underneath two hours of on-track motion remaining.

The session resumed at 6.10pm native time and FOM mentioned it’s nonetheless to be confirmed whether or not the day shall be prolonged because of the stoppage.

When it first occurred, floodlights across the observe went out as nightfall descended with energy misplaced within the pitlane and in paddock buildings on the similar time.

It isn’t but clear what brought about the failure and the Bahrain circuit is at the moment investigating the difficulty. F1 officers initially had no remark to make on the reason for the issue.

As soon as energy had been restored, an F1 spokesperson issued the next assertion on behalf of the observe: “At roughly 5pm at this time, an influence outage attributable to an exterior substation failure led to the afternoon session on observe to be paused.

“Energy has since been restored and the afternoon session has resumed. We recognize everybody’s endurance.”

The facility lower struck with many automobiles on observe, which created putting pictures as they circulated simply as the large circuit spotlights went out.

However with the observe marshalling and timing techniques down because of the ability lower, they had been rapidly known as again to the pits by the purple flag.

The session had already been going down in uncommon overcast, chilly and gloomy circumstances in Bahrain – with sporadic spots of rain falling through the stoppage.

Some energy techniques remained on-line all through with emergency lighting in paddock buildings staying on and TV broadcasts nonetheless in operation.

It’s understood that the difficulty has struck all the native space to the south of Bahrain island, which surrounds the desert observe.

Turbines to maintain tyres heat throughout energy failure

Picture by: Alex Kalinauckas

In anticipation of motion finally resuming, groups used mills they take to the grid forward of races to maintain tyre units heat.

Vehicles continued to be fired intermittently in workforce garages because the stoppage went on, with some circuit floodlights working whereas others remained darkish.

Because the delay approached one hour in length, extra techniques had been changing into operational – with solely the start-up of remaining spotlights stopping the motion restarting earlier.

An FIA spokesperson later mentioned of this: “The facility, digital techniques and lights across the circuit are slowly coming again to regular, we anticipate to restart the session shortly.”