Fewer test days this year: 'Bummer for the Formula 1 teams'

This weekend, testing will take place in Bahrain and compared to previous years, the test days have been shortened considerably. In order to save costs, it is logical, also because the cars have not changed much compared to last year. For drivers, it will make little difference, but for teams it is annoying. They can make good use of every test day, Christijan Albers explains in the new Formula 1 podcast of de Telegraaf.

Albers is asked how the test days in this shortened form are going to work out for the teams, about which the former F1 driver says that it is becoming more difficult for the teams. Albers: "For a Formula 1 team it is obviously annoying. And it is frustrating because you want to test as much as possible. And testing is reduced and reduced every time. So it's getting harder and harder for Formula 1 teams."

"The only positive thing is that Formula One cars have changed so little that basically, the basics are already there. They have driven a car for a whole season, so all the teething problems are out of it. That is why they can manage with fewer test days. But of course, it is nicer for a Formula 1 team to have as many test days as possible."

Deadly boring...

The teams can try out as much as possible during the test days and for the drivers, it is mainly about driving as much as possible and collecting data. This comes with ups and downs in terms of how much fun it is, because at some point it can become a bit boring. At least, that is what Albers says next.

"For a driver I always say: if you jump in on the first day, then the first two, three hours are fun, but after that it gets boring to drive laps. And then you have moments when it becomes really cool in the car with a new set of tyres, getting the maximum out of it, that you can really fight with your car, with yourself to improve your lap time..."

"Then you also get to see on your steering wheel the lap times where you are faster and slower, that fight with yourself and the car, that makes you a real driver again. You get goosebumps and that fighting spirit comes to the surface. That you want to set the fastest lap and show that you are the best driver in the field."

Although the latter can sometimes be a bit cagey. Last year, for example, we saw fast laps aborted just before the clock ran out. Nevertheless, drivers have both fun and boring moments and the latter is mainly in testing the race setup. Albers concludes: "But there are also moments when you have to test the race setup and drive laps for a long time and that is really boring."