Formula One will arrive on Monday at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to prepare the new 2017 season. The Circuit is the only racetrack worldwide to host these preseason tests, just like in previous years. The first week of the Formula One Test Days will end on 2 March and the second week will start on 7 March and finish on the 10th.
All of the drivers of the 10 teams – except Pascal Wehrlein (Sauber), who is injured- will be lapping on the Circuit during these two weeks to test the new cars, which will be wider this year. The official activity will start on Monday, but Toro Rosso will hold their official presentation on Sunday, at an event that will only be open for the media.
Pirelli, official tyre supplier of the Championship has announced that they will be bringing more than 3.500 tyres for the eight test days, of the 7 types of compound that the single-seaters will be using this year (hard, medium, soft, super soft, ultra soft, intermediate and full wet). The most number of tyres will be the soft type of tyres. The wheels are going to be wider this year as well: the front wheels will have 305mm instead of 245mm and the rear wheels 405mm instead of 325mm. They have also confirmed that on the last day of the first test week, on 2 March, they will carry out a test on artificial wet conditions to test the intermediate and full wet compounds, except if it rains before.
As complementary activities for spectators, the Circuit will be offering guided tours around the facilities, although the tickets for the tours are already sold out. On 9 March there will be a charity tour with Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz. The activity will provide a small group of people the chance to meet the driver in person, attend a speech about Formula 1 and visit the facilities, including the paddock and the service tracks of the Circuit. All benefits from this activity will be allocated directly to Wings for Life, an international foundation that raises funds for research work on bone marrow injuries.
Tickets and access to the Formula One Test Days
The tickets can be purchased through the Circuit website and cost 18 euros. All those who have already purchased their tickets for the FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2017 to be staged from 12 to 14 May will have free admission to the eight test days, just like Circuit Members and Officials.
The Box Offices and Gates 1 and 3 will open every day at 9 o’clock and the car parks to be used by spectators during the Formula One Test Days will be: A and IN6. Grandstands I, F, H and G will be open during the tests.
The single-seaters will be lapping on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track from 9h to 13h and from 14h to 18h
