Pre-season testing 2023: Everything you need to know

Friends, we can finally say it: Formula 1 is back! (well, you get me). Pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit is around the corner and we can't wait to see these fast machines on track, and here's everything you need to know.

Save the date

The first day of pre-season testing will be on Thursday, February 23. The sessions usually begin at 8 AM CET (7 AM GMT), with a break at noon and then continuing through the afternoon and into the sunset/night.

Two more days of testing will follow on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th. If you want to watch live, check the schedule of your subscription provider. If you pay for F1TV Pro, you will most likely have access to the broadcasts.

Last year, if you remember, pre-season testing lasted for 6 days, divided between the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the Bahrain circuit. However, it was due to the introduction of new, important technical regulations that required additional testing from the teams. This isn't the case in 2023, and the old, 3-day format is back.

How it works

Pre-season testing is... well, testing. It's an opportunity for all the teams of the grid to perform extensive running of their cars before the start of the season, and a good window for drivers to get a feel of their new machinery.

This is also the first opportunity to get a glimpse of how things could turn out for the different teams come the first race of the year. However, these performances should be taken with a grain of salt, and things can drastically change in a real competition scenario.

Follow it all with us

Day-to-day analysis, roundups, and technical details - we'll have everything on Formula Insight, including some exclusive content for subscribers, so don't miss a thing!

Written by Luciano Calamante.