Pre-test check-in

Hi from a sunny Bahrain. Not long to wait now until the season gets underway properly.

Heading here for the test really ramped up the sense of anticipation and it’s a good feeling to know I’ll be in the car tomorrow [Saturday].

The last month has been busy as pre-season preparations shifted into top gear. I’ve been working hard to build my baseline level of fitness, and of course there’s been a lot of prep with the team and the car.

I got to drive the new car for the first time last month, during a shakedown test at Silverstone. It felt good to get back behind the wheel, and get together again with the team. It was a good warm up, but the wet and cold conditions didn’t offer much insight into how the car will behave.

Because of the latest technical regulations, the new car has less floor area than last year’s and the goal of our team, and all the others, is to claw back some of the downforce that has been lost.

Even though we don’t know the finer detail, based on the modelling and data, I’ve still been able to get insight using the simulator. I’ve had loads of simulator time – both for Bahrain and also to get an early start on the races that follow.

There’s no substitute for the real thing, though…

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