WATCH: AlphaTauri fire up 2020 F1 car ahead of Imola test

AlphaTauri has fired up its 2020 Formula 1 car ahead of its return to the track on Wednesday at Imola.

The team will run its ATO1 at the former San Marino Grand Prix venue for a filming day as it steps up preparations prior to the heavily-delayed 2020 season starting in Austria on July 5.

In doing so, it will become the second F1 team to run its 2020 challenger ahead of the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, after Racing Point shook down its RP20 in a similar event at Silverstone last week.

Teams have been preparing for the season to resume following the huge disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the opening 10 races to be postponed or cancelled.

Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari have conducted private track days in recent weeks using two-year-old 2018-spec cars, meaning they have been permitted to carry out unlimited running.

Under F1’s heavily-restricted regulations regarding the testing of current-spec machinery, teams are allowed just two filming days to carry out on-track running. These promotional events include a mileage limit of just 100km using Pirelli’s demonstration tyres.

Ahead of Wednesday’s run at Imola, AlphaTauri fired up the Honda power unit in its AT01 at the team’s factory and posted a clip on social media.

Today: Fire Up at the Factory

Tomorrow: Filming Day at Imola pic.twitter.com/oxds7CAlws

— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) June 23, 2020

Imola is one of the venues not on the original 2020 calendar that is being considered by F1 to potentially stage an additional European-based race in the event that more flyaway rounds are called off.

The location of the track is ideal for AlphaTauri given that it is just 20 minutes from the Red Bull-owned team’s headquarters in Faenza.

Red Bull is understood to be planning a similar test later this week.