Alfa Romeo predicts "hectic" F1 pre-season testing
The reduction in running ahead of the 2021 Formula 1 season will lead to a "very hectic" pre-season test in Bahrain next month, reckons Alfa Romeo's technical chief.

F1 will embark on a single three-day pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit from 12-14 March, giving teams limited time to get up to speed ahead of the new season.
Although there has been a large amount of carry-over from the 2020 cars for 2021, teams are nevertheless grappling with a shorter window in which to complete their typical pre-season preparations.
Speaking at the unveiling of the new Alfa Romeo C41 car earlier this week, technical director Jan Monchaux explained the challenge posed by the reduction in test running.
"It's going to be frantic," Monchaux said.
"Three days, it's quite short compared to previous seasons. The car carries over a lot of components, so theoretically the risk to have a bad surprise is reduced.
"But I expect those three days to be very hectic on the track, with all the teams trying to put maximum mileage to make sure you have reliability, but also to tick off the box with respect to the performance expectations."
Read Also:
It is unclear how Alfa Romeo will divide its pre-season running between race drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, and reserve driver Robert Kubica, all of whom drove the car across six days of testing in 2020.
The stability in the driver line-up ensures the team will not need to spend time helping a newcomer get up to speed with its systems and processes.
"I think that now the F1 is going in another direction compared to the past," said Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur.
"The first discussion we had with less and less testing [was] that we have to be ready when you are going on track, and it means that you have experienced guys in the car.
"It makes more than sense. The line-up is working well."
Monchaux was also pleased by the switch of testing from Barcelona to Bahrain, ensuring that track temperatures and conditions will be more stable and representative of what teams can expect in the opening race two weeks later.
"A good thing will certainly be the weather, because the temperature should be a bit higher than what we are usually facing in Barcelona," Monchaux said.
"Therefore the work on the new car and the new tyres because we are also trying new tyres this season, will certainly be more representative than when it's four or five degrees in Barcelona."
Related video

Previous article
How Red Bull's 2021 F1 car is more than just new stickers
Next article
Hamilton, Mercedes F1 nominated for Laureus Awards

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Teams | Alfa Romeo |
Author | Luke Smith |
Alfa Romeo predicts "hectic" F1 pre-season testing
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping .
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.
The themes to watch in F1's Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. Ben Anderson looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone