Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Driver line-up set for start of 2022 pre-season F1 testing

2022 F1 season

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The driver line-up for the start of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya has been confirmed.

Robert Kubica is the only test driver so far to have been given an opportunity to participate in this week’s test. He will drive the new Alfa Romeo C42 this morning before handing it over to the team’s regular drivers.

The other nine teams are all expected to use their race drivers throughout the test. Many will rotate between them on each day, however Red Bull, McLaren, Alpine and AlphaTauri are among those who will have the same drivers in their cars all day today.

New world champion Max Verstappen will be on track for Red Bull today. His team mate Sergio Perez will have to wait until tomorrow to begin testing, as will Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.

Teams have three days of running at the Circuit de Catalunya today and a further three days in Bahrain ahead of the first race of the season next month. The teams intend to conduct wet track testing on the afternoon of the final day on an artificially drenched surfaced, unless it rains prior to then.

2022 pre-season test one driver line-up

Wednesday morningWednesday afternoonThursday morningThursday afternoonFriday morningFriday afternoon
MercedesGeorge RussellLewis HamiltonLewis HamiltonGeorge RussellGeorge RussellLewis Hamilton
Red BullMax VerstappenSergio PerezMax VerstappenSergio Perez
FerrariCharles LeclercCarlos Sainz JnrCarlos Sainz JnrCharles LeclercCharles LeclercCarlos Sainz Jnr
McLarenLando NorrisDaniel RicciardoLando NorrisDaniel Ricciardo
AlpineFernando AlonsoEsteban OconFernando AlonsoEsteban Ocon
AlphaTauriYuki TsunodaPierre GaslyPierre GaslyYuki Tsunoda
Aston MartinSebastian VettelLance StrollLance StrollSebastian VettelSebastian VettelLance Stroll
WilliamsNicholas LatifiAlexander AlbonAlexander AlbonNicholas LatifiNicholas LatifiAlexander Albon
Alfa RomeoRobert KubicaValtteri BottasValtteri BottasGuanyu ZhouGuanyu ZhouValtteri Bottas
HaasNikita MazepinMick SchumacherMick SchumacherNikita MazepinNikita MazepinMick Schumacher

This article will be updated.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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10 comments on “Driver line-up set for start of 2022 pre-season F1 testing”

  1. Can someone explain to me why on earth Alpha Romeo would sacrifice any track time at all by giving the car to Robert when they have two new drivers to settle in and sort out in such a short period of time ?

    Doesn’t make sense at all.

    1. I agree it would not make sense to sacrifice track time with two new drivers and one being a rookie. My guess is that Robert being Polish, who has deep connections with Orlen a major sponsor and Polish company, that they are somehow obligated to do so.

    2. Money! Orlen is a Polish company and it’s sponsorship is tied to Kubica’s (probably visible..) presence at the team.

    3. There is value in being able to compare a car in the simulator to the feel on the track – and with Kubica as the only ‘returning’ driver for the team, I can see some sense in giving him some running and then sending him back to the factory.

      He knows the guys he is working with – presumably has done more sim work for Alfa in the last few years (and will continue to this year) than the full time drivers – and I would think they value his input.

      Does that outweigh another day getting used to the car for a full time driver? Maybe not – but the car development will be rapid at the beginning of the year, so having his input will be of some value.

      1. @Big Dave Fair enough.

      2. Well said! A test driver who does simulation work must have a idea how the car works in real.

    4. I am surprised as well, buy my guess is that Robert is the only one who can give them feedback based on the difference between the old car and the new car.

    5. Ok two good reasons. I still think it’s nuts though :P

  2. I’m surprised still not all teams have test line-ups confirmed.

  3. Still I am puzzled and angry af not be able to attend testinbg this week, but even more we have no live broadcast, because cash is king, and king is bahrani.

    I mean, do we just accept it as a community ? Opinion articles are fading, withering, wilting here just as founder Keith Collantine – and it is the same reason as above, money. Reading last months articles, full of typos and Instagram news, I wonder if RaceFans is now different to others.

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