7 of the cleverest deceptions in F1 testing history

Formula 1 teams have long employed ingenious deceptions during pre-season testing to gain a psychological edge and mislead rivals, according to F1.com. Tactics range from "glory running," where cars run on low fuel to post impressive times for sponsors, to "sandbagging," deliberately underperforming to conceal their true pace, as Mercedes famously did in 2019. Teams also hide innovative designs, like Red Bull's dummy exhaust stickers for their blown diffuser or Williams' secret wheel rim heating device. Even driver identities have been concealed, such as Kimi Raikkonen being dubbed "Eskimo" by Sauber. These elaborate ruses underscore the strategic 'warfare' of F1 beyond the track.