F1 pre-season testing, defined – SBNation.com

Formulation 1 is again this week.

Sort of.

Whereas racing doesn’t begin till subsequent week, with the Bahrain Grand Prix to kick off the 2023 F1 season, all ten groups shall be in Bahrain shortly for 3 days of preseason testing. After spending months creating their automobiles for the 2023 marketing campaign, the groups have restricted time on observe to place their automobiles by way of the paces earlier than lights exit for the primary race of the season.

With testing week upon us, we thought it was time to stipulate what, precisely, pre-season testing entails.

What’s pre-season testing?

Pre-season testing, this yr, is a three-day occasion on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit, website of the season-opening Grand Prix per week later. Over three days this week (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) groups are allowed to place their automobiles on the observe with minimal restrictions, to get a way of how their setups, and aerodynamics, will search for the season forward.

Every day is damaged up into two periods, a morning session which begins at 10:00 a.m. native time and runs for 4 hours, and a day session which begins at 3:00 p.m. native time and runs for four-and-a-half hours. The significance of that afternoon session is that it’s going to final past sundown, permitting groups to get a really feel for the way the automobiles will run throughout night-time circumstances.

That may come in useful the next week, because the Bahrain Grand Prix is run at evening.

Groups can method these periods in quite a lot of other ways, however the principle objective is to iron out any main points, hone set-ups, and make changes as needed. Groups may also isolate what areas of the automotive have to be upgraded forward of the season, which begins simply over per week later.

Why is it held in Bahrain?

Two causes, actually. The primary motive is logistical. With the season starting on the similar observe the next week, that cuts down on the journey time for every group.

The second is the structure of the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit, which you’ll be able to see right here in a diagram from F1.com:

The design of Bahrain Worldwide Circuit permits groups to check their automobiles beneath just a few completely different circumstances. There are some lengthy straights — together with the very lengthy straight popping out of Sector 3, by way of the beginning/end line and into Sector 1 — and a few tight corners, most notably in Sector 2. Groups will be capable to check out how their automobiles deal with each lengthy straights, in addition to tight corners.

How are tyres dealt with?

Pirelli, the sort supplier for F1, supplies all groups an equal variety of every tyre compound. This enables the groups to finish as many laps as they need with every tyre compound. This enables groups to get a way of pit technique for when the season begins.

Are their particular issues groups can or can’t do throughout testing?

Testing is just not held beneath grand prix circumstances, and whereas regular security necessities have to be adopted, groups are permitted to design their very own testing packages. That features deciding on which drivers are going to take part, together with reserve and/or testing drivers who usually are not slated to compete within the upcoming season.

What’s that fluorescent paint I’m seeing on the automobiles?

Picture by Bradley Collyer/PA Pictures by way of Getty Pictures

Keep in mind, aerodynamics is the ballgame in F1. So discovering out how the air is flowing over the automobiles is a large a part of the method, together with throughout testing.

To get a clearer image of how air is flowing over completely different elements of the automotive, groups will use what known as “flow-vis” paint. It is a paint composed of a fluorescent powder combined with a light-weight oil, utilized to the entrance of the automotive earlier than it takes to the observe. Because the automotive works by way of the circuit, the paint flows over the automotive, following the air.

Within the above {photograph} taken from pre-season testing final yr, you possibly can see the flow-vis paint on the Williams Racing automotive pushed by Nicholas Latifi.

Don’t be shocked if, when watching pre-season testing, groups try to disguise the outcomes of a run utilizing flow-vis paint. Typically when the automobiles return to the storage after a run with flow-vis paint, groups cowl the automotive so their rivals can’t get a way of what’s working … and what’s not.

Are these the ultimate automobiles that groups will use this season?

Adapt or die is a part of life in F1. Groups are consistently seeking to improve their automobiles, seeking to squeeze each final little bit of energy out of them, and shave of each doable millisecond.

To that finish, whereas the automobiles we are going to see this week are near the ultimate product, the outcomes of testing usually pressure some upgrades.

How a lot ought to we learn into the lap occasions this week?

In actuality? Not a lot. Given the variety of variables at work — groups try completely different packages, with completely different tyre compounds and completely different gasoline hundreds — it’s normally onerous to get a transparent sense of how the grid stacks up earlier than the season begins. Keep in mind, whereas all of the tyre compounds can be found throughout testing, as soon as the season begins, Pirelli allotted simply three of the 5 completely different dry-weather tyre compounds for every Grand Prix. So we would see a group this week put down a quick lap time on a tyre compound that’s not going to be in use subsequent week through the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Additionally, groups do try to disguise simply how sturdy they’re throughout testing, saving their full efficiency functionality through the first qualifying session of the season. It is a tactic known as “sandbagging.”

Nonetheless, in latest historical past now we have seen groups sturdy throughout testing come out and safe the pole place on the similar observe through the season. In 2021 Max Verstappen of Purple Bull posted the quickest lap time throughout testing, and secured the pole on the Bahrain Grand Prix later within the season. In 2020 Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes posted the quickest lap time throughout testing, and his teammate Lewis Hamilton certified on pole on the Spanish Grand Prix later that yr.

Final season Verstappen was once more quickest throughout pre-season testing, however Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc certified on pole.

However we know how Ferrari’s season went.

What drivers are testing, and when?

Groups are beginning to announce which drivers are working throughout which periods. So in case you have a favourite driver, you would possibly wish to verify again as this shall be up to date.

Thursday am: Verstappen, Nico Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda

Thursday pm: Verstappen, Kevin Magnussen, Nyck de Vries

Friday am: Sergio Perez, Magnussen, Tsunoda

Friday pm: Verstappen, Hulkenberg, de Vries

Saturday am: Perez, Hulkenberg, de Vries

Saturday pm: Perez, Magnussesn, Tsunoda

Can I watch pre-season testing?

That is determined by the place you might be studying this from, pricey reader.

For these becoming a member of us from the UK and Eire, Sky Sports activities F1 will broadcast the whole lot of F1 testing.

These exterior of the UK and Eire will be capable to watch testing by way of F1TV, F1’s streaming service.