RACE DEBRIEF

    Pre-season testing dates have been confirmed for 2022, with three days of track running in Spain, before the brand-new cars head to Bahrain in March for the Official Pre-Season Test.

    Two sessions of three days each will take place ahead of the 23-race Formula 1 campaign to ring in the new era.

    DIARY DATES: The 2022 F1 calendar and F1 car launch schedule

    Barcelona – February 23-25

    The first outing is a lower key, pre-testing track session at Barcelona on February 23-25, allowing the teams to shake down their all-new-for-'22 cars for the first time in the same place.

    However, as is traditional with teams’ pre-testing-type events, the running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya won’t feature live, race-style coverage or live timing, but will include content and best lap times at the end of each day

    Bahrain – March 10-12

    The Official Pre-Season Test will then take place in Bahrain on March 10-12, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on the weekend of March 18-20. Fans will be in attendance, while there will also be live TV coverage and timing.

    We’ll be bringing you coverage from both Barcelona and Bahrain on F1.com.

    READ MORE: 8 reasons the pecking order could be shaken up in 2022

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    The Official Pre-Season Test will take place in Bahrain

    The build-up to the 2022 season is set to be fascinating, with wide-ranging changes to this new breed of F1 cars including ground-effect-generating 3D floors and re-designed front and rear wings, while Pirelli bring 18-inch tyres to the fray.

    TECH TUESDAY: Why new floors should help enhance F1's wheel-to-wheel action in 2022

    Car launches begin in February, the likes of Aston Martin and Mercedes having already announced when they will be taking the covers off their 2022 machines.