When is Formula 1 pre-season testing and how can I watch it?
As the teams and drivers of Formula 1 conclude their winter breaks and prepare for another season of thrilling track action in 2024, there is a heightened focus on teams perfecting their setups during F1 testing.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull reached new levels of dominance in 2023, winning 21 out of 22 races and setting a record-breaking season for the Austrian team. While Mercedes fell short in the title battle, they did manage to secure second place in the constructors’ championship ahead of Ferrari.
The Mercedes team will be aiming to make the most of Lewis Hamilton’s final season with them before his move to Ferrari in 2025. However, the team has faced challenges in building a fast car over the past two seasons.
Before the new season officially begins on March 2 at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the teams will have ample opportunities to test the limits of their new cars with three days of testing. Total-Motorsport provides all the information you need to know about this three-day event.
Since 2023, the only location used for F1 pre-season testing has been Sakhir, as F1 officials decided to move away from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and utilize the Bahrain International Circuit instead.
Sakhir has become the preferred testing venue due to its consistently dry conditions and warmer weather during the winter, which better reflects the conditions teams will face during the season. However, there was a surprising heavy downpour when Formula 2 teams arrived in Sakhir in early February, creating an interesting wet-weather scenario for testing if it happens again.
The testing will take place over three days before the actual race in March, with eight hours of running each day from February 21-23. There will be a four-hour session in the morning and another four-hour session in the afternoon, UK time.
Sky Sports F1 has secured the rights to broadcast every minute of testing from Bahrain as part of their exclusive coverage agreement, which extends until 2029 in the UK. Sky’s commentary will be provided in collaboration with F1 Media due to the lengthy sessions.
Lead commentator David Croft will oversee the sessions, accompanied by Alex Jacques, Will Buxton, Jolyon Palmer, Anthony Davidson, and Rachel Brookes in the commentary box. Punditry duties in the paddock throughout 2024 will be shared by Martin Brundle, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Naomi Schiff, Damon Hill, Karun Chandhok, Danica Patrick, Bernie Collins, and Davidson. Additionally, Simon Lazenby, Natalie Pinkham, Ted Kravitz, and Craig Slater will continue to be part of Sky’s coverage.
According to the Source total-motorsport.com