The fresh Formula 1 season has arrived and 2022 looks set to be one of the most intriguing starts to a campaign in recent history on many levels.
Not only will reigning world champion Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton be pitted against one another all over again for the first time since the highly controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but they’re going to be racing in very different cars to their last time out.
A host of new regulations have been designed to level the playing field and ultimately shift the balance of power from just Red Bull and Mercedes to the rest of the field, meaning F1 testing is more crucial than ever in 2022.
Barcelona is the usual location for the final stages of car development, and it will provide the backdrop for testing once more this week.
Following the trip to Catalunya, teams will return to base and work on their cars ahead of the second round of testing in Bahrain.
Fans across the world will be desperate to catch a glimpse of their heroes in their shiny new cars, but they may be left disappointed during the Barcelona tests.
RadioTimes.com brings you all the details for F1 testing in Barcelona ahead of the 2022 season.
Is F1 testing on TV?
Unfortunately there will be no live TV coverage of the F1 testing runs in Barcelona.
There will also be no fans in attendance for the annual showcase event in Spain.
Highlights and snippets of action will be released via teams’ social media accounts and from Formula 1’s various official platforms, but Sky will not be bringing live coverage.
The only televised coverage will be a Today’s Testing Wrap program shown on Sky Sports F1 at 8pm on each day of F1 testing, lasting only half an hour. This will review the biggest storylines and talking points from the day’s action.
Is there an F1 testing live stream?
There won’t even be any live streaming capabilities for F1 testing in Barcelona. This additional weekend of testing has been handed to teams due to the radical overhauls of the car regulations for 2022.
This drastic shift in regulations means cars are less familiar for teams and drivers and they will need more time to iron out the creases prior to the season.
For this reason, broadcasting of the first testing sessions has been prohibited.
What time is F1 testing?
Each day will follow the same pattern of testing with both a morning and afternoon session.
Morning session: 8am – 12pm (UK time)
Afternoon session: 1pm – 5pm (UK time)
Teams will be releasing the specific times each of their drivers will emerge onto the track and we’ll bring those timings to you as soon as possible.
If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
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