What happens during an F1 shakedown or filming day?

Teams are permitted two of these filming days each year. Until 2023, they could cover up to 100km (62 miles) in each, but that has been doubled for 2024. On a circuit such as the Silverstone Grand Prix layout, drivers will now be able to complete up to 33 laps instead of 16.

Most teams use at least one of these days as a shakedown, while collecting video of the new year’s car as well. Haas is using its full two-day allowance ahead of pre-season testing.

Demonstration events

Teams can also carry out up to two demonstration events each year, which must be approved by racing’s governing body, the FIA. Examples of these are where roads are shut down in city centres — although teams will more commonly use older cars for this purpose.

Current cars can run for only 15km (nine miles), while recent cars (from the previous three years) can cover 50km (31 miles).

What do F1 teams do during shakedowns/filming days? 

Over the 200km (125 miles) of allowed running, F1 teams will look to pinpoint any potential problems with their new car. These can then be addressed on the day or reported back to the factory, who can then try their best to fix the issue before the car heads out to Bahrain for three critical days of testing — starting on February 21.

This process — and the additional running — will be especially beneficial for teams who have redesigned their cars completely ahead of 2024, such as Alpine who recently revealed a car which is “back-to-front new”, and will want to ensure that any faulty systems don’t hamper their testing time. Shakedowns can also be used to check new components or set-ups.

Shakedown pace is typically slower than in a race situation, with the F1 machine often joined on track by a filming car and the priority being to ensure everything is working than expected rather than to test performance.

In any case, cars must be fitted with special Pirelli tyres, made specifically for these runs, to avoid teams gathering tyre data that could be useful in a race. These tyres have less grip than those on a grand prix weekend: they are often extreme editions of the hard tyre compound combined with some grooves which are often seen in wet weather tyres.

The footage captured from these events is often used in TV and internet ads to promote the coming season or the team itself. It is usually distributed to media organisations as well, which is why you’ll see the same footage appear in third-party videos.

Teams must fit their car with an FIA electronic control unit (ECU) throughout the test, allowing the governing body to ensure that restrictions are observed.

There are fewer restrictions on testing older cars that raced in seasons before the previous one. However, in order to ensure that teams cannot test new components on older cars, the FIA specifies that they must use components and software that were used in that era — and for cars that are between two and four years-old — that were raced in period at least once by that car.

Where do teams do their shakedown/filming days?

F1 teams are free to book out almost any circuit for their individual shakedown and filming days, but the choices are more obvious for some than others. For example, Ferrari will often shakedown its latest F1 creation at the Fiorano Circuit which is located next to the team’s Maranello factory — as it did last year with the SF-23. Similarly, with its base of operations now at Silverstone, Aston Martin is expected to shakedown its AMR15 on a shortened version of the historic British circuit.

Silverstone could be the number one choice of many British-based teams such as McLaren, Williams and Mercedes while teams such as Sauber (formerly Alfa Romeo) and AlphaTauri will run at circuits a little closer to home, such as Barcelona and Misano.

Who will drive the car during shakedowns/filming days? 

Most of the 20 F1 drivers will get a chance to drive their new car before heading to official testing in Bahrain — although this may depend on their own pre-season schedules or their individual agreements with the team.

These tests can sometimes be conducted individually — as each team is allowed to run its car in two promotional events across the year — as to allow both drivers the most amount of time possible in the cockpit ahead of the new season. But some teams could decide to run a split session, with each driver completing 100km (62 miles) each and compiling their feedback at the end.

Reserve drivers will often be kept on the sidelines.

2024 F1 teams shakedown and filming days