Less and less missing. The countdown for the tests that will open the 2023 Formula 1 season has officially started. Yes starts tomorrow, from 8.00 to 12.00 for the morning session, followed by the afternoon session from 13.00 to 17.30.
Test Bahrain, everything is ready
Eight and a half hours of tests to be experienced until Saturday, for a total of twenty-four hours of Formula 1. The wait increases more and more and the curiosity to see how much the teams hid during the presentation of their single-seaters is certainly a lot. In the morning of tomorrow, needless to say the spotlight will go looking for Red Bull. The goal will be to understand which new aerodynamic solutions the RB19 will present (considering that the RB18 was presented in New York). Great curiosity also for the Mercedes, which has remained true to its concept of practically non-existent bellies, although the possibility emerges that a new W14 is on the way to Bahrain. In the Ferrari house instead, the S-duct concept impressed and not a little, so much so that the first requests for analysis from the FIA have already arrived.
There are those who choose the alternation…
There are all the prerequisites for not missing out on the tests, all that remains is to find out with which rotation the pilots will exchange seats during these three days. There are different philosophies on this aspect. Ferrari, Haas and AlphaTauri have decided to alternate their drivers on all three days. Carlos Sainz will open the ball for the Maranello team, with Leclerc instead driving in the afternoon session. The same goes for Friday too, with the only alternation, which sees Leclerc ride in the morning and Sainz in the afternoon, scheduled for Saturday.
Visible alternation also at home Haas, with Hulkenberg who will drive on Thursday and Saturday mornings, leaving the afternoon to Magnussen, except for Friday when the Dane will open the dance followed by the German in the afternoon. In Alpha Tauri instead it will be Tsunoda who will inaugurate the 2023 of the team from Faenza, taking to the track both Thursday and Friday morning, leaving room for the debutant De Vries in the two afternoons. On Saturday it will be the Dutchman's turn to open, with Tsunoda finishing in the afternoon.
…and who the continuity
Different solution adopted instead for Red Bull, Alfa Romeo and Williams. For the Milton Keynes team, Verstappen will be given the opportunity to ride throughout Thursday afternoon, as will Perez on Saturday. Friday will be the only alternating day, with the Mexican scheduled for the morning, while Verstappen will conclude the day with the afternoon shift. Great expectations to see the new Alfa Romeo on the track too, with Zhou who will start the engine of the new car on Thursday morning, followed by his teammate Bottas. On Friday, however, space will be left for Zhou throughout the day, as well as for Bottas on Saturday. Same choice also for the Williams with Albon who, in addition to Thursday morning, will race throughout Saturday, while Sargeant will have Thursday afternoon and Friday all day available.
Waiting for the other teams, who will communicate their line-ups only tomorrow, these are for now the riders who will take to the track for the three days of testing which, we can guarantee you, will be unmissable.
