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F1 LIVE | Follow winter testing in Bahrain here!
The Formula 1 circus has arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit for the first day of winter testing. We will get the first indications of how the land lies ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship opener next weekend. Red Bull Racing will be hoping they will be on top again, whilst Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and others hope to have at least closed the gap. You can follow pre-season testing here with GPblog's liveblog.
F1 LIVE | Day one of winter testing
Where is F1 pre-season testing in 2024?
The pre-season tests will take place in Bahrain at the Bahrain International Circuit. In years gone by, pre-season testing traditionally took place in Barcelona. Logistics-wise, it was a helpful location but was often deemed too cold. In addition, Formula 1 wants to reduce the amount of travelling as much as possible, and it makes sense to host the tests at the same venue as the first Grand Prix.
Will pre-season testing produce a clear picture of the order?
Pre-season testing will indicate how the land lies ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season. But it will not be a clear picture. Fuel loads and engine modes are largely unknown. The top teams are also known to do 'sandbagging', where they go slower than they can. We will have to wait until qualifying and the Bahrain Grand Prix to get a more precise indication, but we will give it an educated guess based on the data from testing.
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Is pre-season testing on Sky Sports F1?
Sky Sports F1 will broadcast full coverage of winter testing in Bahrain ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season. The British broadcaster will show every single second of the action so fans in the United Kingdom won't miss anything. GPblog will also provide a liveblog with updates throughout each day of testing. Click here to see Sky Sports F1's full schedule for pre-season testing.
What is the weather forecast for pre-season testing?
As expected in the desert, the weather forecast suggests it will be dry and warm. AccuWeather reports that temperatures will be 22-24c during the day, with temperatures dropping to as low as 15c at night. The website says "a full day of sunshine" can be expected for Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, it is predicted to be "sunny and breezy", which could make testing interesting. There is a 0% chance of rain.