Who will drive in the winter test on Day 1 in Bahrain?

Formula 1 has awoken from its long hibernation! The 10 teams have arrived in Bahrain, where the first and only test for the 2024 season is scheduled from Wednesday. Max Verstappen will be straight into action on the opening day. But there is much more to watch out for. That is why we have listed all the important things for you in this first-day handbook!

The test in Bahrain at the International Circuit is split into two sessions. Action in the Gulf state starts at 10:00 local time (8:00 CET / 7:00 GMT) and ends at 14:00 local time (12:00 CET / 11:00 GMT). The afternoon session starts at 15:00 Bahrain time (13:00 CET / 12:00 GMT) and ends after four hours at 19:00 local time.

Who will be in action on Wednesday?

Morning (Start 8:00 am CET / 7:00 am GMT):
Red Bull - Max Verstappen
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc
Mercedes - George Russell
Alpine - Esteban Ocon
McLaren - Oscar Piastri
Stake F1 - Valtteri Bottas
Aston Martin - Fernando Alonso
Haas - Kevin Magnussen
Visa Cash App RB - Yuki Tsunoda
Williams - Alex Albon

Afternoon (Start 13:00 CET / 12:00):
Red Bull - Max Verstappen
Ferrari - Carlos Sainz
Mercedes - George Russell
Alpine - Pierre Gasly
McLaren - Lando Norris
Stake F1 - Guanyu Zhou
Aston Martin - Lance Stroll
Haas - Nico Hulkenberg
Visa Cash App F1 - Daniel Ricciardo
Williams - Logan Sargeant

What's the weather like in Bahrain?

Good news for cold weather fans: the winter jackets can stay in the hotel room! Early in the morning, the mercury rises to above 20 degrees Celsius, before peaking around 24 degrees in the early afternoon. It could also rain in the Bahrain desert, but the teams will be spared from that on Wednesday. The chance of rain is zero per cent. There is a light breeze, though.

What should we look out for during the first day of testing?

Too many to mention! First and foremost, the teams are curious to see if their cars are functioning properly. Assume the day starts with frequent entering and exiting the pit lane. Next, we should not attach too much importance to the times that appear on the clocks. This is really only the first day of testing. Over the three days, the times will undoubtedly go down considerably.

Sounds all boring!

No, certainly not. Of course, we are going to be cautious what the relative performance is. The expectation is that the RB20 - as an evolution of the RB19 - is going to be the most stable car, especially with max Verstappen behind the wheel. The Dutchman is known for being able to go hard with a car from the start, even when it is just out of the box. Where colleagues often take time to get used to, Verstappen often flies quickly to the top of the table.

And then we have Mercedes

What a story this season is going to be! Lewis Hamilton starts his last season with the Germans before switching to Ferrari in 2025. Will the seven-time champion manage to compete for the main prizes during the season? A year ago in Bahrain, the Briton knew after just a few laps that the W14 was not competitive. How will Hamilton feel in the W15? Unfortunately we have to wait another day to find that out, but his colleague George Russell will be behind the wheel all day. Is he going to say whether Mercedes' new concept is a hit or a letdown?

Anything else to watch out for?

Oh well, it will be a first day of scanning and especially teams that don't want to get too caught up in the cards. There will also be a driver who will set a super-fast time at the end of the day with minimal fuel and on red tyres. Nice for the sponsors and publicity. But important to repeat: don't attach too much value to the times! Above all, look at how cars behave on the track.

How do you follow all the action?

So plenty to look forward to! Of course, GPblog will keep you up to date on all events on track throughout the day via a liveblog. Depending on your location, channels where and how the events will be broadcasted may differ.