Is F1 testing 2022 on TV? Why there isn’t a live stream of Barcelona pre season to watch - Sky Sports coverage

It doesn’t seem too long ago that Max Verstappen was controversially crowned the 2021 Formula One Champion but the teams are now back on track and preparing for the start of 2022.

The start of 2022 is set to be as dramatic as the last season ended with new regulations coming into play and new F1 race directors taking over from Michael Masi.

This will also be the first time that the new 2022 cars will have an extended run on the track and fans will be rushing to see how the new regulations have affected speed and abilities of the race cars.

In 2021 the first-ever set of Financial Regulations were set to be enshrined in the rules, alongside the sporting and technical regulations in order to allow more parity between the teams and this will be the first season that those cost caps will really be evident.

So while teams such as Haas and Alfa Romeo will be itching to get on to track in a bid to take full advantage of the cost cap, it is the bigger teams such as Red Bull and Mercedes who will have to rein in their spending and normal extravagance in a bid to offer fans closer racing.

There are two pre-season testing events ahead of the first race in Bahrain on Sunday 20 March 2022 with the first already underway.

Here is all you need to know about the F1 pre season testing 2022

When is the first pre-season testing?

There are two pre-season testing events and the first is taking place today, Wednesday 23 February 2022 until Friday 25 February 2022.

Each day is split into a morning session and an afternoon session with the days running from 8am until 5pm GMT.

The morning session runs from 8am until 12 pm and the afternoon session taking place between 1pm and 5pm GMT.

Where is the first pre-season testing taking place?

The event is being held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya which is located around 15 miles outside of Barcelona city centre.

What is pre-season testing?

Pre-season testing is the first time that anyone outside of the teams will see the new cars for the following season.

Franchises will have spent not only the interim between the two seasons, but most of the 2021 season preparing for the start of 2022 and the pre-season testing gives teams a chance to test their own cars out but also allows for a certain amount of spying on their competitor’s cars.

Who will be present at the pre-season testing?

All 20 F1 drivers will get their chance to test out their new cars over the course of the sessions.

The time will be split between the morning and afternoon sessions.

Alex Albon will be seen back in a F1 car for the first time since 2020 having been demoted to Red Bull reserve driver. With George Russell’s promotion up to Mercedes, Albon was then offered the Williams seat and will be enjoying testing out the car with his new team.

Why isn’t Barcelona available to watch on TV?

Unlike Bahrain the Barcelona testing has been classified as a chance for teams to get up to speed with their new cars for 2022 and the new technical regulations without having the additional pressure of Sky broadcasting every moment of the action.

There will be highlights and a final timing classification released at the end of each day but fans will have to wait until Bahrain to see the full testing event take place.

When is the next pre-season testing?

The teams will head out to Bahrain to complete their second round of pre-season testing on Thursday 10 March 2022 and fans will be able to follow these sessions with much more ease.

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