2021 F1 pre-season testing highlights

Day 1:

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN began the three-day testing session at the Bahrain International Circuit with a solid day of running in challenging conditions. Despite the morning sun giving way to something akin to a sandstorm in the afternoon, the team completed 133 laps without technical issues, a good way to begin our final approach to the start of the season.

Kimi Räikkönen started the day in the car, racking up nearly 350km before lunch. After the break, Antonio Giovinazzi took over testing duties, tackling the now dusty track to complete the team’s programme for the day. In total, the nearly 720km accrued by the team represent a good return from today’s work, with the promise of more to come tomorrow.

Day 2:

Antonio Giovinazzi didn’t shy away from putting in the miles during the second day of testing in Bahrain. The Italian racked up a whopping 125 laps on a day that saw the team complete its testing programme in full, despite some red flags interrupting both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Antonio and the team devoted the best part of the morning to long runs, with the man in car #99 quickly settling into a rhythm and grinding lap after lap with impressive consistency. In the afternoon, the focus shifted to shorter stints, with performance runs showing a glimpse of our car’s qualifying potential.

The chequered flag brought an end to Antonio’s short pre-season, with Kimi Räikkönen returning to the cockpit tomorrow for the final day of testing ahead of the first race of the season – in this very venue.

Day 3:

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN’s pre-season came to a successful conclusion as the sunset on Bahrain. The third day of running on the Sakhir circuit saw Kimi Räikkönen notch the highest lap count across the board, with 166 laps to Finn’s name. Today’s total brings our overall mileage for the three days of testing to 422 laps – 2,283.86km.

Kimi’s programme for the day mirrored that of Antonio Giovinazzi from a day earlier, with a busy morning devoted to long runs and a race simulation, followed by an afternoon centred on performance runs. With no mechanical issues to hamper our day, Kimi and the team were able to complete the full programme on schedule – the third clean day in a row.

Armed with the knowledge gathered in this week of testing, the team’s focus now switches to the first race of the season in two weeks’ time. Returning to the Bahrain International Circuit to start the 2021 campaign will give us the first, real indications about the pecking order. The time to practice is over – now the real battle begins.

Alfa Romeo ORLEN F1 Team best pictures:

RAIKKONEN Kimi (fin), Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C41, portrait during the Formula 1 Pre-season testing 2021 from March 12 to 14, 2021 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain

99 GIOVINAZZI Antonio (ita), Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C41, action during the Formula 1 Pre-season testing 2020 from March 12 to 14, 2021 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Team, ambience pitstop during the Formula 1 Pre-season testing 2021 from March 12 to 14, 2021 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain

GIOVINAZZI Antonio (ita), Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C41, pitlane atmosphere during the Formula 1 Pre-season testing 2021 from March 12 to 14, 2021 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain

RAIKKONEN Kimi (fin), Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C41, portrait during the Formula 1 Pre-season testing 2020 from March 12 to 14, 2021 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain

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