Pirelli has completed the first in-season test using the current 2014 cars: an innovation for this year designed to help the Italian tyre-maker develop suitable tyres for the latest-generation Formula One cars.

A total of eight new constructions and six new compounds were tested during the two days: split between Caterham on Tuesday then Mercedes and Williams on Wednesday. Only one variable was tested at a time, so if a new compound was being tested, then the construction would be the current one (and vice versa). The teams alternated prototype runs with baseline runs on the existing tyres, for comparison purposes.

The 250 experimental tyres brought to Bahrain, distinguished by being free from any colour stripes on the sidewall, were exclusively designed with 2015 in mind. Over the course of the two days, Pirelli completed a total of 110 laps and around 595 kilometres with experimental tyres, in ambient and track temperatures that were a lot hotter than those of the grand prix weekend.