#bahrain preseason testing 2022

[oscarcito]

those videos are filmed in BAHRAIN PRESEASON TESTING

i think i have to imagine they got very drunk and chatty together at the mclaren 2022 christmas party because otherwise i might go crazy, genuinely. why are we acting like this barely three months into being teammates ???

YEA that's the insane part to me like. they barely knew each other. but I do see the vision they got really drunk and Oscar did his famed Elvis Presley impression in front of all his new coworkers at mcl

[identifying-f1-in-posts]

[1] 11th May 2013 Spanish Grand Prix Post-qualifying Top 3 Photo

[2] 2nd March 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix

[3] 21st May 2022 Spanish Grand Prix Pre-qualifying

[4] 7th April 2022 Austrian Grand Prix Saturday

[5] 23rd October 2010 Korean Grand Prix Post-qualifying Top 3 Photo

[6] 26th August 2021 Belgian Grand Prix Thursday Track Walk

[7] 7th November 1993 Australian Grand Prix Podium

[8] 21st December 2021 “The 2021 Drivers’ Studio Outtakes!” FORMULA 1 on Youtube

[9] 9th July 2022 Austrian Grand Prix Post-practice

[10] 21st February Preseason Testing Barcelona

[11] 2020/2021 Renault Contract Announcement*

*My best guess

f1 + txt posts = true 9.0

[il-predestinato]

It’s official! He prefers to be called “Zhou Guanyu”!

Zhou Guanyu | Bahrain pre-season testing | Day 2

🎥: Ted’s Notebook (SkySports)

[holdmyhopeinyourhands]

Remember when Toto talked about the merc engineers coming back to the factory on their winter break to work on the car even though they didn't have to just because they didn't want Lewis to ever be in a position where someone could rob him off a title again? Because I do. This team worked so incredibly hard to make this car and I'm so proud of each and everyone of them. Ms. W13 is a sexy beauty. A sword befitting the Knight that carries her on track and you shall fear them for they are coming for you.

[redbullseb]

BAHRAIN: Sebastian Vettel getting ready to drive during Day Two of F1 Testing at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 11, 2022.

[holdmyhopeinyourhands]

Lewis needs to stop looking at him like that because Will Buxton has started to believe he knows him now.

What is it about Will Buxton that makes Lewis look at him like this I need to know

[weak-hero]

POV: it’s a race week

[bambi-marquez]

paddock rumours : sandstorm tomorrow

[writinginfinite]

imagine part ii

imagine: form a mental image or a concept

plot: you didn’t know what you were getting into when you turned your hobby into an actual career on f1. based on Lewis’ “imagine” tweet.

Saturday March 12, 2022

“please don’t let this be a sick joke!”

“For all that’s holy, I pray Mercedes is sandbagging” was all you thought when writing your articles after watching preseason testing. It was your goal to come across as impartial because the world would automatically assume you supported Lewis and Mercedes because you were Black. In a way, they weren’t wrong. To you, it felt morally wrong to not support the only Black driver and his team. Still, you wanted to appear as unbiased as possible, so you made a considerable effort to avoid that bias coming out in your writings and videos. The last thing you needed was people assuming you only got to where you were because the color of your skin. 

You took a break from your writing and left your office to go into your living room to scroll on social media. It always pained you to see other independent content creators at races with media passes to cover Formula One. The 2021 season went by and the FIA constantly denied your media credentials. (Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that you didn’t get media credentials for the 2021 season because what you witnessed made you physically ill. That was something you told yourself when the season ended to find some “positive.”) 

It’s been a goal of yours since you gave up your job to cover this sport. You travelled to races occasionally, but what was the point of going if you had no access to the paddock, pit lane, and press room? Your subscriber count nearly doubled, to 600K; your social media engagement and following in the community grew, and the traffic to your website was through the roof. You were being noticed by everyone but the one you dreamt of- Formula One. It’s not that you didn’t appreciate all you had, or needed more validation from others; it was more of a moral boost that “I made it” and I'm with the “big ones.”

There are many days when you wanted to give up and thought it wasn’t meant to be. Was it worth giving up a steady career to start your life over? But when that doubt snuck in, Lewis’ words rang in your head “Never give up never doubt yourself.” After every denial email, you’d apply again. They somehow at least remember your name, right? 

You found yourself in a bit of a funk, so you called your best friend, Ashlyn, to vent your frustrations. Ashlyn did not understand Formula One, nor could she give a damn about it, but she was your best friend and willing to listen. You knew you were talking a mile a minute while Ashlyn would say “Yep,” “I understand … I think,” “Uh huh,” and the few words you’d let her get out. She’d always end with, “Stop doubting yourself, all will happen in due time.” Those final words from her always calmed you down. 

After your short therapy session with Ashlyn wrapped up, you were back in your creative mindset. You went back into your office and continued working on your Bahrain pre-season testing article. You were about to close your laptop lid when you looked to the top right of your screen to an email notification from “FIA Formula One World Championship Media Accreditation” with the subject line “Status: Approved.” 

You felt a lump in your throat form, your eyes stinging with tears forming, saying aloud “please don’t let this be a sick joke!” As you looked at the email, it read “2022 Media Accreditation approved” with directions on how to get your pass starting at the Bahrain Grand Prix and throughout the rest of the season. 

All the hard work, the tears, the doubt, it was gone. Everything you wanted had come to fruition. After calming down and getting your heart rate and nerves together, you turned on your camera with the biggest smile and glow your audience had ever seen. “What about that pre-season testing!” After your breakdown and thoughts, you closed the video “Guys, I have some big news for you all. Until next time!

// parts

author's notes: slow burn, i know. friday i'll make up for it. thanks for your patience! hoping friday I'll have a longer update.

[race-week]

This is the 2022 calendar

Double headers are written in purple, triple headers are green.

23/02/22 - 25/02/22: Preseason Test 1, Barcelona

11/03/22 - 13/03/22: Preseason Test 2, Bahrain

18/03/22 - 20/03/22: Bahrain GP

25/03/22 - 27/03/22: Saudi Arabian GP

08/04/22 - 10/04/22: Australian GP

22/04/22 - 24/04/22: Imola GP

06/05/22 - 08/05/22: Miami GP

20/05/22 - 22/05/22: Spanish GP

27/05/22 - 29/05/22: Monaco GP

10/06/22 - 12/06/22: Azerbaijan GP

17/06/22 - 19/06/22: Canadian GP

01/07/22 - 03/07/22: British GP

08/07/22 - 10/07/22: Austrian GP

22/07/22 - 24/07/22: French GP

29/07/22 - 31/07/22: Hungarian GP

26/08/22 - 28/08/22: Belgian GP

02/09/22 - 04/09/22: Dutch GP

09/09/22 - 11/09/22: Italian GP

23/09/22 - 25/09/22: Russian GP

31/09/22 - 02/10/22: Singapore GP

07/10/22 - 09/10/22: Japanese GP

21/10/22 - 23/10/22: US GP

28/10/22 - 30/10/22: Mexican GP

11/11/22 - 13/11/22: Brazilian GP

18/11/22 - 20/11/22: Abu Dhabi GP

[formula365]

The most interesting of uninteresting races - Sakhir GP preview

A couple of weeks ago, it felt that F1’s final triple header of 2020 was going to be a quiet affair. After Mercedes and Hamilton wrapped up their respective titles, it seemed that the main story for the 3 races in the Levant would be the battle for 3rd in the constructors’ championship. Yes, there were still races to be won, and some seats up for grabs, and the Perez-Albon axis would be a focal point for pundits, but it felt very much like the twilight of the season.

Well, F1 comes at you fast (literally), and even more so in 2020, it seems. On Sunday, Hamilton’s 11th win of the season was overshadowed by Grosjean’s massive crash and the ensuing conversation over safety and what went well and not so well. After the race, it felt like this topic and Grosjean’s recovery would be the main story of the week, but then, for the third time, a driver caught COVID, and this time, it was the champion-elect.

Lewis Hamilton tested negative three times during the race weekend, but started feeling symptoms on Monday morning, and had two positive results on that day. The announcement the following day sent the F1 world into a spin. It would be the first time since Brazil 2006 that an F1 grid would not include Hamilton, and, given his dominance throughout the season, any race without him suddenly becomes a much more open and intriguing affair.

But even more crucial than that was the question on everyone’s mind: with Hamilton ruled out of (at least) the Sakhir GP, who would step in for him at Mercedes?

The reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne was the most obvious choice. Already acquainted with the team and the car (at least via simulator), the Belgian was wrapping up preseason testing for the upcoming Formula E season and was already planned to fly to Bahrain anyway. But the Mercedes hierarchy had him as a number two choice, as this was a major opportunity for them to test the heir apparent to the team in their actual car.

It is no secret that Mercedes reached out to Williams to enquire about the availability of George Russell for 2021, before making the decision of giving Bottas another 1-year extension. The Grove-based team told them they did not wish to release him from his contract for next year, but there was no doubt that Russell was a strong candidate to take one of the Silver Arrows seats for 2022. And if Hamilton decides to continue into the new F1 era that will start in that season, then it is Bottas’ seat that will be, once again, in question.

This was, then, the perfect opportunity for Mercedes to evaluate their protege in an actual race environment, and have him go toe-to-toe with his main rival for that seat. I don’t think anyone in the team is expecting Russell to beat Bottas outright, but he won’t need to either. If he stays close to the Finn in the timesheets and impresses the team with work ethics and commitment, he will be taking a huge step towards securing that dream move.

Bottas, on the other hand, will be perfectly aware of this, which puts some additional pressure on him to perform. He cannot afford to be beaten by his one-weekend teammate; that would absolutely seal his fate for 2022. Ultimately, there might not be much that he can do to help his cause. Even if he does win the race and keeps Russell comfortably at bay, it will be the youngster’s performance that will be of more interest to the team. If Russell does well enough, there is nothing Bottas can do.

It is crazy that a race at the tail end of the 2020 season can have such deep ramifications into the 2022 season, but this has been a crazy year in more ways than one. This one-off race in a crazy layout of the Sakhir circuit will see two debutants and a stand-in for the champion-elect, while two drivers recover from health issues. There will be plenty of interest to see how all these permutations will affect the weekend, and what these out-of-place drivers can achieve. And, most importantly, we might even see the Mercedes 2022 line-up take shape.

Talking points

•  Another driver under pressure to perform this weekend will be Latifi, whose seat is not in danger but that will be left to look silly if he is beaten by his teammate. Also, the shuffle up front puts even more pressure on Albon, who will be expected to beat his good friend George, since he is much more accustomed to his car. As if he needed any more pressure on him.

•  Stoffel Vandoorne ended up being the big loser in the Mercedes decision. The Belgian driver just does not seem to get a lucky break with F1: after two years at a McLaren close to its lowest point, he doesn’t even get the chance to fulfil his role as reserve driver for the best team ever in the history of the sport. Perhaps it is best that he focuses his career elsewhere, as his FE car also seems to be capable of fighting for wins and getting into the title fight.

•  Wednesday morning saw most of the big announcements of the week in terms of driver swaps, but the best news of that day was Grosjean’s release from hospital. After that enormous scare, it was fantastic to see him walk out with a huge smile on his face, and hearing him say that he wanted to return for the Abu Dhabi GP, for what will be his F1 swan song. Absolutely nothing will beat seeing him back on the grid for that.

•  His vacated seat at Haas, as well as Russel’s vacated seat at Williams, will provide the opportunity to two drivers to have their debut in F1. Pietro Fittipaldi will stand in for the Frenchman at Haas; the Brazilian is the team’s reserve driver and spent the year in the garage with them, so will be well acquainted with the team members and their procedures. The same can be said for Jack Aitken, who will run for Williams. After an unlucky run with Campos in this F2 season, this will be a richly deserved reward.

•  Fittipaldi’s run with Haas will not represent an opportunity for him to stake a claim on one of their seats for next year, as the team announced their line-up, confirming the rumours that had been circulating for a few weeks. Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, respectively first and third in the F2 championship, will be driving in F1 for the American team. The return of the Schumacher name was expected and it will be great to see Mick test his talent at the highest level. He hasn’t blitzed the field this season, but rather has impressed with consistency and regularity, traits that bode well for a future champion.

Mazepin arrives with the tag of paid driver - which isn’t in itself incorrect, but is one that glues to the skin of the driver and is incredibly difficult to remove, regardless of results. The Russian has been slowly climbing the table in F2, having won 2 races. However, his general demeanour and attitude, on and off the track, leaves many question marks over this decision. His father brings significant backing to the team, but if he doesn’t clean his act the negative impact of his behaviour can be costly for Haas.

•  I am truly excited to see a completely different layout this weekend. The current calendar (2020 exceptions aside) features tracks with so many similarities, it is truly refreshing to see a short, ultra-quick layout, just to shake things up. Qualifying risks being quite the mess, and lapped cars will be a nuisance to the leaders, but I, for one, can’t wait to see them blast around Bahrain’s outer loop.

[il-predestinato]

twitch quartet reunited 🥰

[holdmyhopeinyourhands]

☠☠☠☠ redbull haven't you heard? Sidepods are so not fetch anymore.

[redbullseb]

BAHRAIN: Sebastian Vettel making a young fan's day during Day Three of F1 Testing at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 12, 2022.

[holdmyhopeinyourhands]

No one disrespects Newey's work more than his own team. Imagine working so hard to design a top car each season and then for your team principle and his band of Merry Energy drinks to tell the media your car is trash (just to hype up their golden boy) while at the same time screaming at your competition to stop innovating already because you need to hobble on after them since you're a trash designer in need of the 'spirit of the regulation' to succeed. If I was Newey I would have buried myself alive out of sheer embarrassment and mortification by now.

[holdmyhopeinyourhands]

I'm sorry but the way Lewis and Valtteri automatically gravitated towards each other the second they laid eyes on the other. The way they were glued to each other's sides the entire time. The way they couldn't stop smiling and looking so soft while talking. The way they are each other's best friends now and won't feel so alone on the paddock anymore.... just let me cry over them please.