Learn about F1 pre-season testing terms

Formula 1 pre-season testing is here! As in 2023, this season Williams Racing will split the running between Alex Alban and Logan Sargent for just three days.

If you plan to tune in, you'll hear plenty of buzzwords during the three days of coverage, but do you know what they are?

Don't worry! We've provided a handy glossary of some of the key terms you might hear this week.

The lack of flow resulted in a significant lack of grip on the track at the start of the day. This is especially important in the early hours of the first day.

Airflow measuring device attached to an F1 car. These come in a variety of sizes, from clearly visible to small ones that can be hidden in hard-to-reach places.

A trick used to hide the true speed of a car. Even if actual sandbags are not used, teams may choose to run their cars below their maximum potential.

A section of turbulent air created by a driver ahead. Although the new generation of cars are designed to follow closely, this makes it difficult for a car to run immediately behind.

Bright paint used to track air patterns in a car. It gives aerodynamicists a clear visualization of how air travels as it passes through bodywork.

On the first lap a driver checks standard car functions. This is usually run at the start of a session, where the driver pulls out of the pits and turns before opening the lap.

A term to ensure real-life data is synchronized with simulations. All the teams ran thousands of kilometers with their new cars in their state-of-the-art simulators.

A lap where a team deliberately unleashes its car's true power. Topping the timesheets going into the season always sounds good, but in the last few years some teams have pushed it all the way by running super light and using as much power as possible. It's a trick rarely used in this modern age of F1.

A test program, the team sets up the car like a race. These often involve the driver taking long trips, similar to a race, to get a better understanding of how their car performs in racing conditions.