2021 Bahrain F1 pre-season testing Day 1 - As it happened

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CRASH.NET’S LIVE COVERAGE OF THE FIRST DAY OF FORMULA 1 PRE-SEASON TESTING IN BAHRAIN 

Formula 1 pre-season testing is finally here as the action gets underway in Bahrain.

For 2021, teams only have three days of testing ahead of the new season which kicks off at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 26-28.

All teams except Mercedes have completed a shakedown of their new 2021 challengers ahead of the test, and with just three days of running available to everyone, getting significant mileage completed is more important than ever before.

Testing usually takes place in Barcelona but F1's decision for it to take place in Bahrain this year should give teams the perfect weather conditions to put their new cars to the test.

With the 2021 cars being a continuation of last year's machinery, F1 agreed three days of testing was sufficient as a way to save costs and give teams a longer winter break after the 2020 campaign finished in December.

Like in previous years, testing will be split into two sessions per day, with most teams opting to split the workload between its two drivers.

Who’s driving on Day 1 of the test?

Mercedes

Friday: Valtteri Bottas (AM), Lewis Hamilton (PM)

Red Bull

Friday: Max Verstappen

McLaren

Friday: Daniel Ricciardo (AM), Lando Norris (PM)

Aston Martin

Friday: Sebastian Vettel (AM), Lance Stroll (PM)

Alpine

Friday: Esteban Ocon

Ferrari

Friday: Charles Leclerc (AM), Carlos Sainz (PM)

AlphaTauri

Friday: Pierre Gasly (AM), Yuki Tsunoda (PM)

Alfa Romeo

Friday: Kimi Raikkonen (AM), Antonio Giovinazzi (PM)

Haas

Friday: Mick Schumacher (AM), Nikita Mazepin (PM)

Williams

Friday: Roy Nissany 

Click here to find a full list of who is driving when during the three-day test.

What tyres can teams use?

All five tyre compounds are available to use during the three days of testing.

If you see a team go fastest on the C5 tyre then don’t be too fooled given the softest compound of tyre is never used in Bahrain, more often at street circuits like Monaco.

Here’s what’s on the menu for #F1 tyre testing from tomorrow in Bahrain: a feast of five different 2021 compounds and a prototype! Buon appetito.#Pirelli #F1Testing #Fit4F1 pic.twitter.com/lDFjXOuFt4

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) March 11, 2021

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CRASH.NET’S LIVE COVERAGE OF THE FIRST DAY OF FORMULA 1 PRE-SEASON TESTING IN BAHRAIN