Connect with us

Sports

Reports: F1 Set to Announce Double Winter Testing Weeks Ahead of the 2022 Season

The days are numbered as F1 is all set to welcome a new era into the sport for the first time since 2014. Hence, with 2022 potentially being the most crucial year of the decade, most of the teams have opted to focus on the upcoming season’s development rather than maintaining the limelight on the ongoing season.

Hence, with the game-changing season inching closer, there have been significant updates coming from F1. The biggest update of all being F1’s recent unveiling of the life-sized 2022 F1 car, which left the entire community astonished.

Days later now, reports claim that there could be another update likely heading towards the F1 fandom soon, with talks reaching the final stage.

What is the next possible F1 update over the 2022 season about?

According to Auto Motor Und Sport, F1 is looking to make significant changes to the winter testing, set to take place ahead of the 2022 season.

Unlike the past, F1 will be hosting 2 separate winter testing weeks next year, with Barcelona likely to flag off the proceedings. The Circuit de Catalunya, for the first time in years, failed to show up as a viable option for winter testing this season due to the ongoing pandemic.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer on track during day two of Formula One winter testing at Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Hence, Bahrain ended up being the replacement, which also proved to be marginally successful. So, reports claim that the second week of winter testing will take place at Sakhir.

Why the two circuits in specific, you might ask?

Well, apparently, the contrasting weather conditions might help Pirelli, who, similar to the F1 teams, will be walking into the unknown amidst the arrival of 18-inch tires. Hence, Barcelona’s cold weather conditions and Bahrain’s considerably hotter conditions will like provide Pirelli with enough data to work with.

When will the testing take place?

Although the dates are yet to be finalized, the suggested date for the start of the testing is on February 23, 2022. F1 will start off the first-ever 2022 season’s session in Barcelona, which will take place between February 23 and February 25.

The teams then head into a 2-week break before arriving in Bahrain for the final testing week. The event will likely start on March 11, 2022, and end on March 13, 2022.

Esteban Ocon of France driving the (31) Renault Sport Formula One Team RS20 on track during Day Two of F1 Winter Testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 27, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Following the end of the final week of testing, there will be a 1-week haul, before the commencement of the 2022 season on the very same circuit in Bahrain.

So, will F1 soon announce the tweaks to the winter testing calendar? Or will the sport adhere to further changes before the announcement?

Watch Story: Lewis Hamilton’s Biggest F1 Crashes

 

The post Reports: F1 Set to Announce Double Winter Testing Weeks Ahead of the 2022 Season appeared first on EssentiallySports.