As a cost-saving measure, Formula 1 established a very reduced preseason for 2021, with only three days per team that left only a day and a half of preparation on the track for each driver.
However, with the arrival of the new technical regulations that will allow a new generation of cars, in 2022 there will be, as the teams and drivers wanted, more pre-season tests, which are also known as winter tests . It will be six days in 2022, two days less than what there was until 2020, and in two venues, something that has not happened since 2015, when the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Jerez shared the trials.
Schedules of the F1 2022 pre-season tests at the Circuit de Barcelona (Montmeló) and days
- From Wednesday, February 23 to Friday, February 25: from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Spain (break at 1:00 p.m.).
| Day | morning session | afternoon session |
| Wednesday, February 23, 2022 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (Spanish time) | 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (Spanish time) |
| Thursday, February 24, 2022 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (Spanish time) | 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (Spanish time) |
| Friday, February 25, 2022 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (Spanish time) | 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (Spanish time) |
What time are the Barcelona tests in Latin America?
- From Wednesday, February 23 to Friday, February 25: from 02:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. from Mexico (break at 06:00 a.m.)
- From Wednesday, February 23 to Friday, February 25: from 03:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Panama (break at 07:00 a.m.).
- From Wednesday, February 23 to Friday, February 25: from 4:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Venezuela and Bolivia (break at 8:00 a.m.).
- From Wednesday, February 23 to Friday, February 25: from 05:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m. in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile (break at 09:00 a.m.).
Driver and team line-ups for the Barcelona 2022 F1 tests
F1 rules only allow one car per team in testing, and given the specifications of the new cars, it is expected that we will see few test or reserve drivers in Barcelona. Alfa Romeo will line up Robert Kubica, but at the moment they are the only ones that have revealed that they will give the opportunity to a substitute driver.
Here is the current list of each day’s drivers for the 2022 F1 pre-season Barcelona tests. For now, the three teams that have revealed their plans will put their two drivers on the track for the three days, dividing up the morning and afternoon sessions. The list will be updated as announcements arrive.
Team driver line-ups for each day of the Barcelona 2022 F1 tests
| Equipment |
Wednesday lineup February 23, 2022 |
Thursday lineup February 24, 2022 |
Wednesday lineup February 25, 2022 |
|
Aston-Martin |
Sebastian Vettel (tomorrow)/ Lance Stroll (late) |
Lance Stroll (morning)/ Sebastian Vettel (late) |
Sebastian Vettel (tomorrow)/ Lance Stroll (late) |
|
Hass |
Nikita Mazepin (morning)/ Mick Schumacher (late) |
Mick Schumacher (tomorrow)/ Nikita Mazepin (late) |
Nikita Mazepin (morning)/ Mick Schumacher (late) |
|
williams |
Nicholas Latifi (manana)/ Alexander Albon (late) |
Alexander Albon (manana)/ Nicholas Latifi (late) |
Nicholas Latifi (manana)/ Alexander Albon (late) |
|
AlphaTauri |
Yuki Tsunoda |
Pierre Gasly |
Pierre Gasly (meaning) / Yuki Tsunoda |
|
Alfa Romeo |
Robert Kubica (tomorrow) / Valtteri Boots (late) |
Valtteri Bottas (morning) / Guanyu Zhou (afternoon) |
Guanyu Zhou (tomorrow) / Valtteri Boots (late) |
|
Red Bull |
Max Verstappen |
Sergio Perez |
Max Verstappen (morning) / Sergio Pérez (afternoon) |
|
Mercedes |
George Russell (morning) / Lewis Hamilton (afternoon) |
Lewis Hamilton (late) / George Russell (morning) |
George Russell (morning) / Lewis Hamilton (afternoon) |
|
Alpine |
Fernando Alonso |
Stephen Ocon |
Fernando Alonso (morning) / Esteban Ocon (afternoon) |
|
McLaren |
lando norris |
Daniel Ricciardo |
Lando Norris (morning) / Daniel Ricciardo (afternoon) |
|
ferrari |
Charles Leclerc (morning) / Carlos Sainz (afternoon) |
Carlos Sainz (afternoon) / Charles Leclerc (morning) |
Charles Leclerc (morning) / Carlos Sainz (afternoon) |
How can I watch or follow the Formula 1 2022 pre-season winter tests?
Formula 1 confirmed that the preseason tests in Barcelona will not be broadcast on television nor will it be possible to follow the lap by lap of the single-seaters, and much less will be able to enter the circuit in public. However, the category has announced that at the end of each day they will offer some content and the best lap of the day.
Here at Motorsport.com Spain, we will be streaming the 2022 pre-season testing every day.
The pressure from Bahrain was key, and they will be the only ones to get TV coverage and fans in the stands at pre-season testing in 2022. They know all eyes will be on the new cars and they want us to see everything only at Sakhir .
F1TV Pro , the official platform of F1 (for a fee, but not available in Spain), will publish a one-hour summary containing the highlights, interviews and analysis of the day at the end of each day, only in Bahrain.
Why aren’t the Barcelona tests televised on TV?
The decision not to broadcast the first pre-season tests live in Barcelona, and to do it behind closed doors without access to fans, was due to pressure from Bahrain, which wanted to take all the spotlight from the new single-seaters. In fact, if there is really a test in Barcelona, it is because the teams asked for more test days after only three in 2021, and F1 added those days in Spain.
What is a filming day in Formula 1? Shooting tests, what does it consist of?
All Formula 1 teams can carry out two days of filming days a year. In those days it is mainly about shooting promotional images, for advertising videos. Teams can ride a maximum of 100 kilometers in one day and wear special Pirelli demo tyres, not the ones they race in the world championships. Many teams already take advantage of one of those days of filming before the first winter tests to discover and solve the first initial problems and not lose a valuable during the tests. It is something that Mercedes, Red Bull, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Williams or AlphaTauri have already done this year.
Where and when are the Formula 1 winter tests in 2022?
- In Montmeló (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya) from Wednesday, February 23 to Friday, February 25.
- In Sakhir (Bahrain International Circuit) from Thursday March 10 to Saturday March 12.
The official Formula 1 winter (pre-season) tests for 2022 will take place in Spain and Bahrain. F1 will test for the first time three days at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from February 23-25, when we will see the new single-seaters in action for the first time. They will then travel to the Middle East, where they will test again for three days at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir from March 10-12. A week later, the 2022 F1 season kicks off at the same circuit, in Bahrain.
It has been necessary to change the sports regulations, since the previous one forced at least 10 days of separation between the last tests and the first race, and in 2022 there will be only eight days between the last day of tests and the first Sunday of the season.
F1 defined the Barcelona tests as “shakedown” and the Bahrain tests as official tests. Those in Barcelona will take place as normal, but will not have live television coverage, live times and will be behind closed doors.
