The second Formula 1 pre-season test begins at the Bahrain International Circuit as the new technical regulatory era opens to public scrutiny for the first time.
All 11 teams will be in action across the three days, with Williams joining its rivals having taken the decision to skip the first ‘shakedown’ week of testing in Spain last month.
That five-day test was held behind closed doors, but despite the usual teething issues experienced in testing, there was an element of surprise over how much reliability was on show at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, given the total reset of the chassis, aerodynamic, and power unit regulations.
Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes | Mercedes-Benz Media
Teams will be afforded plenty of sunshine in Bahrain to hopefully get further acclimatized to the new machinery, a far cry from the cold, wet conditions in Spain that got on-track running underway for the year.
This week’s test will be followed by the final test at the same venue next week, before the first grand prix of the season in Australia on March 8.
Bahrain F1 Second Pre-Season Test – Wednesday Driver Line-Ups
Both Ferrari and Cadillac are yet to announce their run plans at the time of writing.
Constructors’ champions McLaren will split Wednesday’s duties between Oscar Piastri [morning] and drivers’ champion Lando Norris [afternoon].
Allow us to re-introduce ourselves…
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That is a strategy also employed by Mercedes with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Williams with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, Audi with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine with Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly.
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad gets a full day behind the wheel, as does four-time champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull.
The same can be said for Esteban Ocon [Haas] and Lance Stroll, who completed just four laps during Aston Martin’s Spanish cameo.
Team
Driver – Morning
Driver – Afternoon
McLaren
Oscar Piastri
Lando Norris
Mercedes
George Russell
Kimi Antonelli
Red Bull
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen
Ferrari
TBC
TBC
Williams
Carlos Sainz
Alex Albon
Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad
Arvid Lindblad
Aston Martin
Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll
Haas
Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon
Audi
Gabriel Bortoleto
Nico Hulkenberg
Alpine
Franco Colapinto
Pierre Gasly
Cadillac
TBC
TBC
Bahrain F1 Second Pre-Season Test – Thursday Driver Line-Ups
Norris takes full control of the new McLaren on Thursday, while Isack Hadjar takes over from Verstappen in the Red Bull.
Fernando Alonso will only run on the second day before handing back to teammate Stroll on Friday, while Oliver Bearman and Gasly step into the Haas and Alpine for a full day of running.
Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
Mercedes, Williams and Audi continue to split duties between drivers, though the morning/afternoon schedules are flipped, while Liam Lawson will take on the morning for Racing Bulls.
Team
Driver – Morning
Driver – Afternoon
McLaren
Lando Norris
Lando Norris
Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli
George Russell
Red Bull
Isack Hadjar
Isack Hadjar
Ferrari
TBC
TBC
Williams
Alex Albon
Carlos Sainz
Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson
Arvid Lindblad
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Haas
Oliver Bearman
Oliver Bearman
Audi
Nico Hulkenberg
Gabriel Bortoleto
Alpine
Pierre Gasly
Pierre Gasly
Cadillac
TBC
TBC
Bahrain F1 Second Pre-Season Test – Friday Driver Line-Ups
Piastri returns to action on Friday as Mercedes switches back to its Wednesday schedule, led by Russell.
Verstappen and Hadjar take a half-day each, as do Sainz and Albon again at Williams.
Lawson will have a full day in the Racing Bull and Stroll gets a second full day for Aston Martin, while Haas splits duties for the first time.
Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Audi remains with the split between Bortoleto and Hulkenberg, with Colapinto relieving Gasly of control for Alpine.
Team
Morning
Afternoon
McLaren
Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri
Mercedes
George Russell
Kimi Antonelli
Red Bull
Max Verstappen
Isack Hadjar
Ferrari
TBC
TBC
Williams
Carlos Sainz
Alex Albon
Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson
Aston Martin
Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll
Haas
Oliver Bearman
Esteban Ocon
Audi
Gabriel Bortoleto
Nico Hulkenberg
Alpine
Franco Colapinto
Franco Colapinto
Cadillac
TBC
TBC
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