There’s less than a month to go before the 2023 Formula 1 season takes off in Bahrain. Before everything else gets up to speed, constructors and drivers prepare for the campaign through pre-season testing. This is the last step before the sport turns over a new leaf. Next week, teams try out their new car changes, get their drivers acquainted with the latest machines, and log as many laps as possible to gather data that will help them start positively.

2023 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test Overview

We're half way there

Five 2023 #F1 launches down… five more to go! pic.twitter.com/r0IVzm7Up6

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 11, 2023

READ MORE: 2023 Formula 1 Rookie Lineup

From Barcelona to Bahrain

We witnessed two different testing venues last year: Barcelona and Bahrain. However, Circuit de Catalunya will not be used this time. Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir is the only testing venue this year. Constructors get three days of testing, with each day featuring two sessions. Teams will have their two main drivers and most likely the reserve drivers turn laps around the track as they prepare for the season.

Circuit de Catalunya is the staple testing venue of Formula 1. Its mix of high and low-speed corners allows teams to test different car characteristics, not to mention its strategic location close to the team bases. However, the revised calendar heavily affected logistics. When the FIA announced Bahrain as a pre-season testing venue in 2021, teams observed a noticeable advantage the middle-eastern nation offered. Ultimately, this prompted F1 to halt the Barcelona pre-season testing altogether.

Bahrain has served as the opening race for Formula 1 since 2021. With that, moving pre-season testing to Sakhir made plenty of sense. It’s more efficient and set up at the circuit and apply it to the opening Grand Prix without making too many changes to the car from the get-go. Moreover, teams considered the weather to be more advantageous. The hot weather affected the data better than the cooler temperatures back in Spain. Bahrain offers the same mix of low and high-speed corners that make it extremely favorable to cars and its drivers.

Pre-season teaser

We start to see the latest cars unveiled to the public and build up excitement toward pre-season testing. It’s our chance to see each team put the new cars to the test, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and their ability to take it around the track. On top of that, pre-season testing presents an opportunity to weigh the competition and track lap times and various data.

The upcoming testing adds to the anticipation. There have been many predictions as to what the upcoming year has ahead of us and speculations thrown around. First and foremost, the most common forecast involved Max Verstappen and his second career title defense as a -125 favorite. The Dutchman is gunning for his third consecutive championship. Considering his talent and Red Bull’s dominant car, another win from the constructor and the driver wouldn’t come as a shock to the sport.

On the other hand, we want to see a more even race for the number top spot. Ferrari and Mercedes may potentially pick up the pace this season and enter the Constructors’ Championship picture as +138 and +550 winners, respectively. Last year was disappointing for the two frontrunners as Red Bull wiped the floor with them. The Milton Keynes-based team also won its first constructors’ title for the first time in a while and come in as -110 favorites to win the 2023 F1 Constructors’ Championship. Nevertheless, towards the end of the 2022 season, the driver’s pace and the car’s performance closed down on the defending champions. This hints at the possibility of a redemption season in 2023.

Where to Bet on F1 with Crypto

Formula 1 features a continuously growing betting market for veteran and novice punters. Motorsport lovers will get a kick out of our Formula 1 odds selection, which features Drivers and Constructors’ Championship futures and outright winners of each Grand Prix.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more Formula 1 previews and articles, and don’t forget to check out the latest sports betting odds at our crypto sportsbook.