With the new Formula 1 season set to go in March, things are beginning to heat up behind the scenes, as teams and drivers prepare for the opening grand prix of the season. While hardcore F1 fans are probably aware of all the planning that goes on prior to the start of the opening race of the year, there are probably many more that simply tune in for the races. We thought it might be a good idea to talk about some of the things that teams and drivers do to prepare, which includes the preseason testing of the vehicles. Given the pandemic, there have been changes made to the start of this season, so let’s take a moment to break it all down and then you can continue planning your bets against their Formula 1 odds.

Formula 1 Pre-season Testing 2021 Preview

Launch Season

Every team likes to make a bit of a show of revealing their vehicles for the year ahead. Launch season in 2021 is a little more muted than usual for a couple of different reasons. The first is that all teams are required to carry over the chassis used in 2020, so there is nothing really new to show there. The reveals will also be digital events rather than in person, which is not that surprising given the pandemic. Launch season began on February 15, with McLaren the first team to show off their stuff. The reveals will continue all the way through to March 10, with each team getting a turn.

Changes to Preseason Testing

Like most sports across the globe, Formula 1 is employing some cost cutting measures as they prepare for the new season. This includes making changes to the preseason testing, which is going to be a good deal shorter than what we have become used to over the years. Since 2015, we have seen testing stretched over 12 days and 3 different sessions, but it will be reduced to a single day for the 2021 season. The location of the testing has also been changed, as it will now be in Bahrain instead of Barcelona. The single day of testing will be held 2 weeks prior to the official start of the season, which comes on March 28. It will be held at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The Formula 1 Calendar

The 23-race schedule has already been tweaked a couple of times, and while we would like to believe that things are now set in stone, F1 officials have made it clear that they will need to remain flexible throughout the course of the season. That may mean that dates or locations are moved, but the hope is that we will get a full season without any cancellations.

We will be following the 2021 season in Formula 1 very closely and will keep you updated with news and race previews which we hope will make It easier for you to make informed wagers on every single race.

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