After a two-day postponement, tests at the Losail Circuit in Qatar finally start on Monday, the so-called ‘Prologue’, which precedes the first round of the WEC season. The prologue was due to take place over the weekend but was postponed as the last containers containing the teams’ cars and equipment arrived in Qatar by sea yesterday.
Due to the revised two-day testing schedule, World Endurance Championship teams now have the choice of either taking to the track at 2pm when the first session begins, or doing so later in the evening session. The teams whose cargo arrived in Qatar on time are not expected to delay anything, while the rest will join later: the factory Cadillac Racing and most of the teams in the LMGT3 category.
Difficulties are also related to the fact that the special equipment used by the FIA and the championship organizers for the technical inspection of cars was also delivered to Losail with delay. As a result, the tests could not start on time anyway.
According to Sporstcar365, teams such as Toyota Gazoo Racing, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Ferrari AF Corse and Jota were in a more favorable position as almost all of their equipment was pre-delivered to Qatar last year. These teams chose to send him to the venue for the first leg of the new season, immediately after the 2023 Championship Final and the tests held in Bahrain in November.
But today the cars of all 37 teams are already on the circuit in Losail and the championship participants have started preparations for the “1812 kilometers of Qatar”. The race takes place on March 2, but the first practice is scheduled for next Thursday, so those who only received their equipment the day before will have to hurry.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
