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The 2013 pre-season action begins with testing and launches - Dates for your diary, as teams launch new cars and debut them on track

Published by Christine

Webber and Vettel prepare to reveal all in Spain
Webber and Vettel prepare to reveal all in SpainCredit: Thompson/Getty

After a reasonably quiet couple of weeks, teams have started to emerge from their winter hibernation with announcements of their launch dates, and what we may expect from them in the upcoming pre-season tests. The 2013 challengers will be revealed at various locations across the globe, before being put into action at three separate test sessions in Spain.

F1 team launches

The first date for your diary comes from McLaren, who are getting their launch in nice and early, on the last day of January. Other teams follow, revealing their 2013 cars just ahead of the testing action in Jerez, which kicks off on the 5th February.

Williams this week confirmed they would not be launching the FW35 until midway through February, and have opted to run last season's car in a new livery at the first Jerez test. Whether this will put them at a disadvantage or not remains to be seen, but it certainly isn't the ideal start to their 2013 campaign.

TeamLocationDate
Lotus F1 TeamOnline28 Jan
Vodafone McLaren MercedesTBC31 Jan
Sahara Force India F1 TeamSilverstone, England01 Feb
Scuderia FerrariMaranello, Italy01 Feb
Sauber F1 TeamHinwill, Switzerland02 Feb
Infiniti Red Bull RacingMilton Keynes, England03 Feb
Mercedes AMG Petronas F1TeamJerez, Spain04 Feb
Scuderia Toro RossoJerez, Spain04 Feb
Caterham F1 TeamJerez, Spain05 Feb
Williams F1 TeamBarcelona, Spain19 Feb

F1 test schedule

Twelve days of running, across three sessions, on two different tracks should give teams ample opportunity to try new developments they've discovered over the winter. The stability within the regulations from 2012 to the new season should mean the cars are a continuation of the ones that finished in Brazil, and thus the fastest teams will likely still be fast.

You can rarely tell an awful lot from testing in terms of pace, but there is plenty to be assessed in terms of reliability, and surprising design directions.

CircuitCountryDate
Circuito de JerezSpain05 Feb
Circuito de JerezSpain06 Feb
Circuito de JerezSpain07 Feb
Circuito de JerezSpain08 Feb
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain19 Feb
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain20 Feb
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain21 Feb
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain22 Feb
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain28 Feb
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain01 Mar
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain02 Mar
Circuit de CatalunyaSpain03 Mar

As ever, F1Minute and Sidepodcast will be here to keep abreast of all the goings on from launches and test sessions. Join us in anticipation as the 2013 pre-season starts to roll into action.