Barcelona preview: Everything you need to know ahead of the second winter test

Formula 1's winter testing schedule heads north for the second round of action in Spain this week as the sport's traditional pre-season home from home - Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya - stages the first of back-to-back test sessions.

Tuesday 19th February
9pm - Barcelona Day One test report.
9.15pm - Ted's Notebook, Barcelona Day One. Wednesday 20th February
9pm - Barcelona Day Two test report.
9.15pm - Ted's Notebook, Barcelona Day Two. Thursday 21st February
9pm - Barcelona Day Three test report.
9.15pm - Ted's Notebook, Barcelona Day Three. Friday 22nd February
5pm - The F1 Show.
9pm - Barcelona Day Four test report. What's the weather forecast?
While the teams couldn't really have asked for anything better for a week in Europe in February across the four days in south-eastern Spain a fortnight ago, as things stand, the forecast doesn't quite look as consistent for Barcelona, or more specifically Montmelo, the province the track is situated in. Indeed, it might prove a test of two halves as while both Tuesday and Wednesday are currently scheduled to be dry - with the second day proving particularly sunny and with temperature highs of 15 degrees - there is a chance of an afternoon shower on Thursday, and more sustained rain on Friday. Should the wet weather materialise then Pirelli's two rain tyres, the intermediate and/or the full wet, are likely to be used for the first time this winter, with each of the 11 cars allocated a minimum of two sets of the former and one of the latter. Who's driving when?
Red Bull: TBC.
Ferrari: Fernando Alonso (Days One, Two and Three), Felipe Massa (Day Four).
Mercedes: Nico Rosberg (Days One and Three), Lewis Hamilton (Days Two and Four).
Lotus: Kimi Raikkonen (Day One), Romain Grosjean (Days Three and Four).
McLaren: TBC.
Force India: Paul di Resta (Days One and Two), Adrian Sutil (Day Three), Jules Bianchi (Day Four).
Sauber: Esteban Gutierrez (Days One and Four), Nico Hulkenberg (Days Two and Three).
Force India: Paul di Resta (Days One and Two), Adrian Sutil (Day Three), Jules Bianchi (Day Four).
Williams: Pastor Maldonado (All of Day One and half of Days Three and Four), Valtteri Bottas (All of Day Two and half of Days Three and Four).
Toro Rosso: TBC.
Caterham: TBC.
Marussia: Max Chilton (Day One). Why the Circuit de Catalunya?
Familiarity breeds assurance - or on the flip side, worry - for teams when it comes to testing their new cars at the long-time Spanish GP venue. Having gathered so much data from the Barcelona track in both racing and testing over the years, they will leave the back-to-back tests here with a much better idea of whether or not they have a competitive car on their hands for the new season. Furthermore, the 2.89-mile track, 16 corner layout really stretches a car's legs to a fuller extent than Jerez's twister challenge. The old adage that a car that is quick around Barcelona is invariably quick everywhere largely lends itself to the fact that the circuit contains several aerodynamically-demanding, 200kph-plus sweeping corners - particularly Turns Three, Nine (Campsa) and Sixteen (the final corner). The revised end of the lap, with its slow tight chicane section, also puts a car's traction to the test while tyres in general are put through more of a work out, especially the front-left, owing to the number of right-handed turns (nine). JG