F1 2022 Testing: 5 key questions before the Bahrain test

#3 Will Red Bull show their hand?

Red Bull has maintained a true-to-character subdued demeanor throughout the pre-season. The team went about its business in the first test, clocked the laps, ran a very heavy fuel load, and didn't make an attempt to run the car in anger. On the surface, though, the car seems to be one of the more dynamic solutions on the grid.

While it's hard to imagine Red Bull pivoting too much from its original stance where it doesn't go for any low fuel runs, it will still be interesting to see how the team fares when it attempts a race simulation. Will it be the fastest car on the grid? The first indication of this could be revealed during the test.

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#4 Can Alpine resolve its car issues?

Alpine came out of the test at Barcelona with a somewhat underwhelming result. The team ran the car heavy and opted not to engage DRS on the straights. To add to this, a minor issue spoiled their third day entirely. The feeling about the team was not positive externally, although Alpine itself came out and said that the timings did not reveal the true picture.

Having said that, Alpine was by some margin the slowest on the straights, not having engaged the DRS. The French team will be hoping for a cleaner start this weekend as it tries to seamlessly go through its testing program.

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#5 Will Ferrari fall back due to lack of major upgrade?

Ferrari was one of the standouts in the first pre-season test. For the Bahrain test, however, the team is not bringing any major upgrades (according to its team principal).

In a season where regulations are fresh, could it have an impact on the pecking order for Ferrari if teams like Mercedes and Red Bull bring an upgrade while it doesn't? This will be interesting to see during the test as the other two have claimed that they are going to bring major upgrades to Bahrain.