Things to know ahead of the Bahrain pre-season test

With solely a day remaining ahead of the begin of the 2023’s official F1 pre-season testing session, groups and drivers are prepared to start the last part of their preparation for the forthcoming record-breaking 2023 F1 season. F1Technical’s Balázs Szabó brings some important information ahead of the motion from Bahrain.

After all ten groups unveiled their 2023 contenders in current weeks, the all-important pre-season testing is subsequent on the agenda.

While groups used to have extra alternatives to test their new vehicles in the previous, this yr sees the subject full the official winter test at a single venue with the Bahrain International Circuit taking part in host to the official three-day pre-season operating on February 23-25. This is an additional discount to final yr as groups had a shakedown test at Barcelona earlier than they moved to Bahrain for the official test and the grand prix at the exact same venue.

The climate this week ought to be typical for Bahrain in February with nice, dry circumstances, however with a probably changeable and gusty wind. Tempeatures are anticipated to attain a peak of 26°C on Thursday and Friday whereas the most will probably be two Celsius levels decrease on the last day with some clouds additionally anticipated to disturb the in any other case excellent climate on Saturday.

Each of the three days of pre-season testing is scheduled to start at 1000 native time and finish at 1930 native time, with an hour’s break for lunch. Teams will probably be solely permitted to run a single automotive at a time which can most definitely imply that many of them will break up the day into two halves. Teams choosing a break up day can run with each of their race drivers on the similar day which has proved helpful in current instances when on-track testing is so restricted.

Tyre compounds

Formula One’s Italian tyre provider Pirelli have made a serious tweak to their compound vary for 2023 by including a brand new compound to the combine. It signifies that the Milan-based tyre producer will now have six choices – starting from the softest C5 tyre to the hardest C0.
Last yr’s C1 has change into the C0, and is now the hardest tyre in the vary, whereas the 2023-spec C1 is an all-new product that slots between the earlier C1 and C2.

This week’s Bahrain test will probably be the first alternative for many of the drivers to attempt the new tyre. In addition to this, Pirelli will provide groups with a black-walled C3 prototype that’s made in Pirelli’s Turkey-based backup manufacturing facility. The Italian producer’s primary manufacturing facility is positioned in Romania.

Each workforce has an allocation of 30 units of tyres, chosen from a pool of 35 units of slicks in a variety of six compounds from the hardest C0 to softest C5, in addition to two intermediate units and two wets in the unlikely occasion of rain. They additionally get two units of the prototype.

Pirelli had additionally mandated the most heating temperatures which is ready at 70 Celsius levels for the slick tyres with groups permitted to warmth the tyre for a most of two hours. Camber restrict is ready at -3.50 levels whereas the minimal beginning pressures for the slick tyres are 21.0 psi for the entrance tyres and 18.5 psi for the rears.

Driving schedule

Three rookie drivers will make their F1 debut in the 2023 season. Nyck de Vries joins Yuki Tsunoda at AlphaTauri, changing Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly. After successful consecutive titles in F3 and F2, Oscar Piastri will change Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren. Logan Sargeant will be part of the F1 subject with Williams, marking the first time that an American driver race at the pinnacle of motorsport since the departure of Alexander Rossi in 2015.

Williams have already dedicated to their driving schedule for the test. Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant will share the driving on Thursday earlier than every enjoys a full day of operating. The American rookie will drive on Friday and the Thai-British racer on Saturday.

Formula One’s solely American outfit, the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team have additionally revealed their driving schedule for the all-important three-day operating. Returning to the sport following a three-year hiatus, Nico Hulkenberg will convey the workforce’s new VF23 on to the observe on Thursday morning earlier than Keving Magnussen takes over in the afternoon. The Kannapolis-based outfit plans the reverse permutation for the second day earlier than the first permutation will probably be utilized on the last day.

Aston Martin had to change their plans for the pre-season testing after Lance Stroll picked up accidents from an accident. The incident signifies that he is not going to be obtainable at the three-day test at Manama. The Silverstone-based outfit determined that the workforce’s new recruit Fernando Alonso will share observe time with their reserve driver and 2022 Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich on Thursday. The schedule for the relaxation of the test will probably be introduced in the end.

On Wednesday, Red Bull confirmed defending champion Max Verstappen will probably be in the new RB19 all day Thursday, and Friday afternoon. Sergio Perez will take the wheel on Friday morning, after which drive the full day on Saturday.

Ferrari will begin the programme with Carlos Sainz on Thursday morning with Charles Leclerc with the similar schedule deliberate for the second day of operating. The last day will see the Monegasque begin the operating with Sainz set to convey the operating to an finish.

Elsewhere, Mercedes, AlphaTauri, McLaren and Alpine have dedicated to related break up days, that means that solely Red Bull, Alfa Romeo and Williams set to full test full days with a single driver.