The cars have been launched and shaken down and it’s time for the real business to start in Formula 1 in 2024 – but who will be driving when during pre-season testing?
For the second consecutive season, winter running will take place in Bahrain with a singular test spread across three days ahead of the opening round at the same venue.
For Red Bull, reigning World Champion Max Verstappen will be the first to sample the new RB20 in the desert and he will spend the entirety of Wednesday at the wheel.
Sergio Perez will then split duties with his team-mate on Thursday before the Mexican gets both sessions on Thursday to conclude the Austrian outfit’s commitments.
Likewise, Mercedes has also opted to run one driver in its W15 across two days, with George Russell featuring on Wednesday and then Lewis Hamilton on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc and then Carlos Sainz will drive Ferrari’s revamped SF-23 challenger on the opening day, but the team is yet to reveal its plans beyond that.
McLaren has confirmed that Oscar Piastri, who is entering his sophomore F1 season, will step into the MCL38 for the first morning and then switch with Lando Norris.
That alteration will remain in place on the second day, but the Woking-based squad has decided to reverse that on the final day to leave Piastri to conclude proceedings.
Down at Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso will hit the ground running on his second campaign in green, with Lance Stroll also to pilot the AMR23 in the afternoon session.
Alpine’s running with its overhauled A524 will commence with Esteban Ocon on the first and third days, with Pierre Gasly taking the afternoon and the morning of Day 2.
Williams will have both drivers feature on Wednesday, but Logan Sargeant will spend all day in the FW46 on Thursday before Alex Albon then does the same on Friday.
The newly rebranded RB squad will field Yuki Tsunoda and then Daniel Ricciardo on the first day; however, the Faenza-based camp’s remaining plans remain concealed.
Sauber, which will be run under the Stake moniker this season, has retained the same driver line-up and Valtteri Bottas will kickstart its testing programme in the C44.
The Finn will hand over to Zhou Guanyu in the afternoon, with the Chinese racer to remain in the car for the following morning before the pair switch again twice more.
Finally, Haas has elected to divide the driving time on each day, with Kevin Magnussen driving on the morning of the first and third day but the afternoon on the second.
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