F1 returns to eight days of winter testing in 2022
The F1 Commission met in London this Wednesday to discuss and vote on certain measures. Among them, many discussions focused on winter testing.
The FIA World Council is ready to authorize a return to eight days of private testing (as between 2016 and 2019) but for 2022, only, given the change in regulations.
The F1 cars will return to Barcelona from February 21st until the 25th, for the first testing week. The last three days will be held from March 10th to 12th at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain, (as in 2021) one week before the start of the season on the same track. The regulations will have to be modified since according to the current one, winter testing must end at least ten days before the first Grand Prix of the year. This rule was put in place to give teams time to prepare to travel to Melbourne when the Australian Grand Prix kicked off the championship.
The number of days of winter testing had been decreasing in recent years. In 2016, teams were only allowed eight days instead of twelve, only six in 2020, and finally three this year. The new regulations for 2022 would allow a return to normal, with more data for the teams and better preparation for the drivers.
