Pre-season testing: How it works and what to expect

All the cars have been unveiled for the 2024 season, with quick drops on social media to glamorous unveilings in Las Vegas. With the challengers for 2024 revealed, it’s time to get our first glimpse of how the cars actually perform.

 

How it works:

Testing will take place in Bahrain a week ahead of the season debut the following week at the Bahrain International circuit in Sakhir. Testing will run from Wednesday 21st February to 23rd February 2024. Testing previously took place in Barcelona at the Circuit de Catalunya but has been moved to Bahrain International circuit since 2023, in like with Formula One’s recent regionalisation efforts.

 

There will be two sessions a day, the first starting at 10am (local time) and the second starting at 3pm (local time). Between each session will be an hour lunch break and each session is due to last 4 hours, with one driver from each team serving each session. In the case of a red flag during any of the sessions, like in practice, the time won’t be paused, and cars will have to leave the track until the hazard has been cleared.

While testing is our first view of a team’s development or fallback, testing is not an entirely clear picture of how the season will go, but usually is a good indicator of what’s to come. Top teams often do ‘sandbagging’, where they go slower than they can, the real determiner of the season will be during Qualifying for the Bahrain GP, when all the cars are pushing to their limits to secure the top spots on the grid.

 

What to expect:

 

Coming away from a dominant 2023, will Red Bull have another ruling season, to make it 2 consecutive Constructor championships for the team? Will the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, take a fourth consecutive driver title? When questioned about a fourth title at the launch of the RB20, Verstappen responded “only time will tell”. Verstappen praised the teams “bold” and “aggressive” approach to designing their RB20, Horner describing the challenger as an “evolution of last year’s car”.

 

Ferrari will be looking to take more wins, the only non-red bull win, produced by Carlos Sainz in a four-way battle in the final lap of the Singapore Grand Prix. Ferrari with a “completely new car” for 2024.

 

Meanwhile, Mercedes will hope to complete their journey with Hamilton a win and potentially a fighting chance of the title, ahead of the Brits move to the Maranello team in 2025. Mercedes creating a “complete relaunch” of the team’s previous approach to the current era of regulations.

 

Haas completed the season at the bottom of the constructor’s championship, leading to the sacking of Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, who has been the Team Principal for the team since their debut into the sport in 2016. Steiner will be replaced by Ayoe Komatsu. Eyes will be on Haas to see how they perform under the new supervision.