Bahrain will host the last two sessions of 2014 winter testing
Traditionally held at the Montmelo circuit in Barcelona, the last two winter testing sessions for 2013-2014 will take place on the Sakhir track in Bahrain, as decided by the teams on the sidelines of the Korean GP.
The schedule for winter testing for the upcoming season has been revealed. As usual, the Andalusian circuit of Jerez will kick off the sessions from January 28 to 31, 2014. It will be an opportunity to see the first laps of cars equipped with V6 turbo Power Units.
After a break of nearly three weeks, the final two sessions will take place in Bahrain, which ultimately won out over Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The decision was made by the team directors during a meeting on the sidelines of the Korean Grand Prix taking place this weekend. Martin Whitmarsh spoke about this decision, which he believes is the right one.
The idea is to have adequate temperatures for testing and if you look at the Middle Eastern circuits, Abu Dhabi is not the best circuit for testing… and Dubai is a bit too ‘Mickey Mouse’. » explains the McLaren team director.
« The best circuit for testing is Bahrain, that’s simply why we’ll go there. »
The first session in Sakhir will take place between February 19th and 22nd, and the second one between February 27th and March 2nd. Knowing that the first free practice session in Australia will be held 12 days later, teams will make several trips in just two weeks, leading to additional costs. A real logistical headache in store!
The 2013/2014 F1 Winter Testing Schedule:
| Date | Circuit | Duration | |
| 1 | From January 28 to 31, 2014 | Spain (Jerez) | 4 days |
| 2 | From February 19 to 22, 2014 | Bahrain (Sakhir) | 4 days |
| 3 | From February 27 to March 2, 2014 | Bahrain (Sakhir) | 4 days |
