Pre-season testing: who rides and when?

That's it ! There Formula 1 is back. The entire paddock is set up on the Sakhir track (Bahrain), scene of the opening of the 2021 campaign but also of pre-season testing.

On site, the teams will be able to use their new single-seaters at full speed for the first time after days of driving limited to 100 kilometers.

Now based in the Gulf, the teams are preparing for three intense days of testing. During these, they will be able to work on different areas such as data collection, testing new parts or even strategies.

Three days of testing are on the program with no less than eight hours of driving per day for the teams.

Testing will begin this Friday (March 12) and will continue until Sunday. The days will start at 8:00 a.m. (French time) and end at 17:00 p.m. with a break between 12:00 p.m. and 13:00 p.m.

The teams do not all have the same program since some prefer to alternate drivers for the entire three days while others prefer to offer a full day to each of their protégés. Williams for his part, launches his pre-season week with his test driver Roy Nissany.

The stable program

• Alpine

Friday : Esteban Ocon
On Saturday: Fernando Alonso
Sunday: Esteban Ocon (morning)/Fernando Alonso (afternoon)

• Alfa Romeo

Friday: Kimi Raïkkönen (morning)/Antonio Giovinazzi (afternoon)
Saturday: Antonio Giovinazzi
Sunday: Kimi Raïkkönen

• Alpha tauri

Friday : Pierre Gasly (Morning)/Yuki tsunoda (afternoon)
Saturday: Yuki Tsunoda (morning)/Pierre Gasly (afternoon)
Sunday: Pierre Gasly (morning)/Yuki Tsunoda (afternoon)

• Aston Martin

Friday : Sebastian Vettel (Morning)/Lance stroll (afternoon)
Saturday: Sebastian Vettel (morning)/Lance Stroll (afternoon)
Sunday: Lance Stroll (morning)/Sebastian Vettel (afternoon)

• Ferrari

Friday : Charles Leclerc (Morning)/Carlos Sainz (afternoon)
Saturday: to be confirmed
Sunday: to be confirmed

• Haas

Friday : Mick Schumacher (Morning)/Nikita mazepin (afternoon)
Saturday: Nikita Mazepin (morning)/Mick Schumacher (afternoon)
Sunday: Mick Schumacher (morning)/Nikita Mazepin (afternoon)

• McLaren

Friday : Daniel Ricciardo (Morning)/Lando Norris (afternoon)
Saturday: Daniel Ricciardo (morning)/Lando Norris (afternoon)
Sunday: to be confirmed

• Mercedes

Friday : Valtteri Bottas (Morning)/Lewis Hamilton (afternoon)
Saturday: Lewis Hamilton (morning)/Valtteri Bottas (afternoon)
Sunday: Valtteri Bottas (morning)/Lewis Hamilton (afternoon)

• Red Bull

Friday : Max Verstappen
Saturday: Sergio Pérez
Sunday: Sergo Pérez (morning)/Max Verstappen (afternoon)

• Williams

Friday: Roy Nissany
On Saturday: Nicholas latifi
Sunday: George Russell