After arriving at the circuit, an F1 car will go on a lap to test the steering, throttle, and brakes of the car without going over the finish line. This lap is called the installation lap. The purpose of an installation lap is to check if the car’s system is working properly before the race.
The team and the driver check the car’s functions like tire pressure, control systems response, etc. before the driver begins to push the car to its limits during racing. Drivers drive their cars slowly during an installation lap.
The teams also check to make sure the driver is comfortable in the cockpit. This installation lap has been proven to be a wise decision in many races in F1 history.