First 2024 F1 car hits the track ahead of testing

Every F1 team is entitled to two 'Promotional Events' - or filming days - during a year with their current challenger.

Many teams elect to run one of the days prior to pre-season testing.

Stake has opted to do so this year at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, host of the Spanish Grand Prix.

The running allows teams to collect marketing content while also providing engineers with initial operating data of the new challengers.

A tweak to the regulations this year has seen the maximum track time increased from 200km to 400km.

Stake launched its 2024 car, the C44, last week in London.

Its maiden F1 outing following the rebrand marks the first time this year that a 2024 car has hit the track, with many of its rivals expected to follow suit in the following weeks.

Pre-season testing will take place at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 21 to 23.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will once again form the squad's line-up, having been paired together since the 2022 campaign.

The Hinwil-based outfit ended the Constructors' Championship in ninth place last year.