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Formula 1's first test of its all-new 2026 cars is to take place behind closed doors with no public nor media access.
Ahead of the new engine and chassis regulations that arrive next year, F1 has agreed an expanded test programme that will take place across Barcelona in Spain and Bahrain before the first race in Australia on March 6.
The first test will take place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from January 26-30, with two further pre-season tests set for Bahrain's Sakhir circuit from February 11-13 and February 18-20.
But F1 teams have elected to keep the first Barcelona test a totally private affair - as has been laid out in the regulations, where it was referred to as being a "pre-season private collective test".
This means that the very first running of the 2026 challengers on track will not be televised, and no journalists nor photographers will be allowed access to the venue.
Furthermore, with only team personnel involved in the running of the cars allowed into the track, social media teams will also not be allowed on site.
The motivation for teams in keeping the test secret is obvious, in that with such a huge challenge in getting cars ready for the 2026 rules it will mean they will not be under the media spotlight if they hit early trouble.
But with such hype surrounding the new cars, and launch season often being one of the most popular times of the year in terms of building awareness for the new campaign, it could prove to be a frustrating time for fans trying to follow the latest goings on.
However, unless there is a strict security lockdown, it is hard to see how teams will avoid spy shots and other information leaking out.
It is also not clear yet whether teams will be able to get their cars ready in time to launch them before that opening Barcelona test, or if they will just run them for the first time in secret.
The FIA has also announced a shift of the timetable for next year's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which will be moved a day forward.
Qualifying will now take place on Friday September 25, with the race on Saturday September 26, to accommodate a national day.
This is the country's Remembrance Day, a public holiday to recognise those who died serving Azerbaijan's armed forces during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war with Armenia and the then Armenian breakaway state of Artsakh.
