SAKHIR, Bahrain: Lewis Hamilton was fastest in his new Ferrari on the morning of the second day of Formula 1 preseason testing as rain in the desert affected Thursday’s session.
The seven-time champion’s best time was nearly four-tenths of a second faster than his former teammate George Russell of Mercedes. Carlos Sainz, Jr. was third fastest for Williams.
“So far so good, but the first topic is reliability. It’s always a question at the start of the season, and it went well,” Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said of the team’s first day and a half testing the new SF-25 car in Bahrain.
It’s harder to tell a car’s true performance because it isn’t clear how much fuel competitors have in their cars for test runs, Vasseur added.
Hamilton’s time was also a second faster than the best lap from the first day of testing Wednesday, which was set by Lando Norris for McLaren.
Adding to the unseasonably cold conditions, the rare sight of light rain in Bahrain midway through the session was an extra complication for teams trying to learn more about their new cars.
Expecting dry conditions in the desert, only two teams — Aston Martin and Haas — brought wet-weather tires for the test.
Testing has resumed for Thursday’s second session ahead of the third and final day on Friday. The first race of the season is the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16.
Hamilton goes fastest for Ferrari as rain in Bahrain hits F1 testing
https://arab.news/mx5nu
Hamilton goes fastest for Ferrari as rain in Bahrain hits F1 testing
- “So far so good, but the first topic is reliability,” Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said
- Hamilton’s time was also a second faster than the best lap from the first day of testing
FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign welcomes Palestinian student
- Ghada Ashour, 24, who grew up in Gaza, becomes fifth scholar selected for FIA’s flagship scholarship initiative
DUBAI: The FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign has welcomed Ghada Ashour, a 24-year-old student from Palestine, to its flagship scholarship program, created to empower the next generation of researchers in the fight against online abuse in sport.
Ashour grew up in Gaza where she had been studying remotely until gaining a place on the UAOA scholarship, which brought her to Dublin City University, Ireland.
Becoming the fifth scholar to join the program, she was selected based on her interests in social media, and passion for advancing insights in this area for the benefit of sportspeople.
Launched in 2023, the program offers talented students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds the chance to engage in research on the impact, prevalence, and prevention of online abuse in sport.
Funded by the FIA Foundation, the UAOA scholars have been selected to undertake research dedicated to positive social change.
Ashour’s thesis, which will be printed in English and Arabic, will focus specifically on the relationship between athlete activism and online abuse.
Athletes increasingly speak out on war, conflict, and social and environmental issues. Although the attention such athletes bring can be positive, research indicates it can lead to significant abuse.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, founder of the UAOA campaign, said: “The FIA is committed to extending opportunities across the world while inspiring and developing the next generation.
“Education lies at the core of this mission, and I am pleased to welcome Ghada as the latest student in the UAOA Scholarship Programme.
“Her experience and research will help broaden the international perspective on this critical issue. This pioneering research program will help ensure we safeguard the future of sport for generations to come.”
Ashour said she was “truly grateful” to the FIA leader: “It is a dream come true to study the subject I am passionate about at a leading institution in this field.
“I am so excited to advance the field of research in online abuse in sport and to contribute to this prevalent topic which is impacting so many people’s lives on a daily basis.”
The UAOA’s 2025 Barometer Report found that 75 percent of sports federations report continued threats against competitors and their families, and that 90 percent believe abuse could force athletes to leave their sport.
Dublin City University is a leading academic institution in the study of online abuse.
Each scholar is fully funded and mentored by leading experts in the field. They are able to attend UAOA events, where they can share their findings with a global audience of policymakers, sports federations, and digital platforms.
The inaugural cohort of four UAOA scholars included participants from Italy, South Africa, the UK, and Mexico.
