All 10 Formula 1 teams will take to the track this week as pre-season testing begins in Spain ahead of the 2022 campaign. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will be the venue as we see the new-look 2022 cars on track together for the very first time between 23-25 February. The three-day test will comprise six four-hour-long sessions, designed to allow the teams and drivers the chance to shake down their new machines and get an early feel for their cars. It will not be F1's only pre-season test before the 2022 campaign gets underway next month. The teams and drivers will meet for a second, three-day test in Bahrain between 10-12 March. But unlike the test in Bahrain, the sport's three-day stop in Barcelona will not be broadcast for fans to follow along via their television sets.
Why F1's three-day Barcelona test is 'behind-closed-doors'
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and the rest of the sport's stars will take to the track for what is being billed as a behind-closed-doors test, prior to F1's second pre-season test event in Bahrain next month. There will be no race-style coverage or live timings provided from Barcelona by F1, the FIA or Liberty Media. The sport's decision to do so means the upcoming test in Bahrain remains the only official session and, for the majority of fans, the first chance they will get to catch a glimpse of the new cars on track together. Indeed, the Barcelona test has been described by F1 as "a lower key, pre-testing track session", before the "official pre-season test" is held in Bahrain. It comes after the 2021 F1 pre-season test schedule was limited to just one, three-day event in Bahrain – but with teams keen to learn more about their new cars for this unique season, an extra three-day test was added, with Barcelona the venue.
How F1's Barcelona test will play out
This week's Barcelona test will be split into six four-hour sessions, three in the morning and three in the afternoon, over a three-day period. The morning session will begin at 08:00 GMT and run until 12:00 GMT. There will then be a one-hour break before track action resumes in the afternoon between 13:00 GMT and 17:00 GMT. RacingNews365.com will be present in Barcelona to keep you informed of the events via our live blog .
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