EXPLAINED: How the Barcelona ​Shakedown will work

With the winter break firmly in the rearview mirrors and several of the teams having already completed a first run of their car during a filming day or released imagery of their new livery and machines, attention is now turning to the next step – the Barcelona Shakedown.

Right, then. Talk to me. What's the Barcelona Shakedown?

It's an opportunity for teams to run their car without limitations like a maximum of 200km of running on promotional tyres that is permitted during filming days, so they can start checking parts on the new machines work as expected.

OK, you've got me hooked. Tell me more...

Well, firstly – this is a first chance to stress-test their race machines in real life rather than in the world of simulation. If they have already done a shakedown, that would have focused on system checks and to make sure a car that has been bolted together for the first time does what they thought it would do.

If they didn't, the early running in Barcelona will be focused on that. Barcelona then offers teams a chance to put some mileage on the cars, on the parts and on the power units – and see how those elements react in reality.

OK, that makes sense. So, when does it start?

I'm glad you asked. It'll kick off on January 26 and run until January 30. That makes it a five-day event but teams will only be permitted to run on three days. They can choose when they run.

Why is that the case?

This gives teams flexibility to run when it's convenient for them. Some might choose to run one day, then use the next day to work on the car or wait for new parts and then run on day three. Others might want to wait and run on day two or even the final three days to give them extra days to work on their project.

It also gives teams the chance to react to bad weather. If the forecast is rainy or snowy on one particular day, they are perhaps better off waiting for a clearer day to maximise the mileage they can gather.

Can we watch it?

Unfortunately not. This is a closed event and very much what it says on the tin – it's a shakedown.

The main focus of this event is for teams to get mileage on the cars and start to learn about how it works, how the various parts react and where they need to improve. It won't be about chasing performance – that'll come in Bahrain, providing they are all in good shape.

However, I've got good news. There will be a daily highlights video, short interviews from the key protagonists – drivers and team principals – and clips on social media plus teams will be posting their own stuff and we'll have supporting coverage across Formula1.com, too.

Lovely. So when does Official Pre-Season Testing begin?

That'll be next month and, once again, Bahrain plays host. Last year, F1 had just one pre-season test at the desert track. This year, there are two – given the scale of the changes to the regulations. Both tests are three days apiece.

Test one starts on February 11. There's a four-day gap before test two starts on February 18. This is when things start to ramp up.

Beyond the teams using the running to learn about the cars, there'll be plenty for the drivers to swot up on, too, with a greater set of tools – like boost, overtake and recharge – to attack and defend on Grand Prix weekends. That makes this running even more important than usual.

It's likely that the car some teams bring to the first test in Bahrain will look different to the one seen in Barcelona – with some also likely to bring new bits to the second Bahrain test.

It's also very possible some teams will bring an update package for the first race in Australia, which takes place March 6-8 while others will bring the car they plan to race in Australia to Barcelona and spend the nine days of running really getting to know their car while giving them scope to check out everyone else's innovations in case they missed something.

That means getting a sense of the pecking order will be trickier than ever.

Can we watch the tests in Bahrain?

You can! The last hour of each day of running in the first Bahrain test is set to be streamed live. There will also be an assortment of content to keep you in the loop across Formula 1's channels – F1.com, F1's social media and F1 TV.

Then for test two – when things get serious and we start to see a pecking order start to form as teams chase performance – you'll be able to watch every minute of every single day on a full live broadcast. There will be a suite of analysis content, too.

Oh, I like the sound of that. And then what happens?

It'll be a final push to get the cars ready for their debut race weekend in Australia – the first of 24 Grands Prix weekends that will culminate in a finale in Abu Dhabi.