Formula 3 returns to the track for pre-season testing in Sakhir ahead of season-opener

After a long winter break, the sound of the FIA Formula 3 engines will roar for the first time in 2024 with pre-season testing set to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit over the next few days.

This test will prove hugely valuable for all the drivers, but especially for the rookies. They will be looking to get up to speed as quickly as possible before the competitive racing kicks off, as preparations ramp up for the ten-round, 20-race season.

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These three days also take on greater significance to the teams and drivers given that the Sakhir venue is also scheduled to host the first event of the season, which will take place from February 29 to March 2.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The three-day test will occur from February 11 - 13, with the drivers set to be out on track for a total of five hours each day. The morning session on all three days will be from 09:00 to 11:30, and they will return to the track in the afternoon on Day 1 at 13:30 before finishing at16:00 local time. Days 2 and 3 will see the afternoon session unfold from 14:30 until 17:00.

As is customary, Pirelli will be allocating eight sets of tyres to each driver for the duration of the tests. This means the teams will be bolting on the Hard tyres to their cars, the same compound that they will be using at the race weekend later this month.

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THE FIELD

• There will be 17 rookies on the grid in 2024, with all but one team bringing at least one brand new driver to the Championship.

• Campos Racing are the only team with a full line-up of drivers with prior experience in Formula 3. Oliver Goethe, Mari Boya, and Sebastián Montoya all return for their second campaigns.

• The year’s field is made up of 18 different nationalities. Two different countries, Peru and Thailand, are represented on the grid for the first time, with rookie Matías Zagazeta racing for Jenzer Motorsport and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak debuting for PHM AIX Racing.

• There are 13 returning drivers this season, with Dino Beganovic the highest placed returnee after finishing sixth in 2023 in the Championship. He is joined at PREMA Racing by Gabriele Minì, who ended up seventh.

• A number of the rookies come in with recent title-winning success. Kacper Sztuka graduates to F3 fresh after winning Italian F4, Noel León took the Euroformula Open title, Callum Voisin claimed the GB3 crown, and Arvid Lindblad won the F4 Macau World Cup race.

• At 16-years-old, Lindblad is the youngest driver on the 2024 grid.

• PREMA Racing will be going for an unprecedented fifth title in six years and aiming to secure their first Championship double since 2020.

WHERE TO FOLLOW

Pre-season testing from Sakhir will be covered on the official FIA F3 website with end-of-day reports following the chequered flag on each of the three days, along with driver reactions. You can follow each session as it happens via live timing.

FIA FORMULA 3 PRE-SEASON TESTING ENTRY LIST