Three days of testing in Bahrain last week offered us a glimpse of what’s to come as the 2024 F1 season roars to life this weekend.
Following a season of domination from Red Bull Racing last year, it’s hoped the field will have reeled in Max Verstappen.
Testing suggested Ferrari is the nearest challenger with the pack behind, which includes Mercedes, McLaren, and Aston Martin, almost inseparable.
That’s good news to Oscar Piastri fans as the young Australian heads into his second season in F1 with a significantly more competitive machine than he had this time a year ago.
There’s also good news for Daniel Ricciardo with RB looking like it too has made strides.
The team has been playing down its progress but there are suggestions the Faenza operation, formerly AlphaTauri, will be in the thick of the action in the midfield – if not better.
When is the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix
Teams will be at the Bahrain International Circuit from Wednesday though track action starts on Thursday ahead of a Saturday night race.
Support action opens the event from 09:45 local time with F1 on track for its first 60-minute practice session from 14:30 (22:30 AEDT). A second hour of practice follows at 18:00 (02:00 AEDT) to end the opening day.
On Friday, final practice is an hour later, at 15:30 local time (23:30 AEDT) with qualifying to take place under lights at 19:00 (03:00 AEDT).
The 57-lap race to open the 2024 season begins at 18:00 on Saturday (02:00 AEDT).
| THURSDAY 29th FEBRUARY | Local time | |
| FIA Formula 3 | Practice Session | 10:55 – 11:40 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Practice Session | 12:05 – 12:50 |
| FORMULA 1 | FIRST PRACTICE SESSION | 14:30 – 15:30 |
| FIA Formula 3 | Qualifying Session | 16:00 – 16:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Qualifying Session | 16:55 – 17:25 |
| FORMULA 1 | SECOND PRACTICE SESSION | 18:00 – 19:00 |
| FRIDAY 1st MARCH | ||
| FIA Formula 3 | Sprint Race (19 Laps or 40 Mins +1 Lap) | 13:15 – 14:00 |
| FORMULA 1 | THIRD PRACTICE SESSION | 15:30 – 16:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Sprint Race (23 Laps or 45 Mins +1 Lap) | 17:15 – 18:05 |
| FORMULA 1 | QUALIFYING SESSION | 19:00 – 20:00 |
| SATURDAY 2nd MARCH | ||
| FIA Formula 3 | Feature Race (22 Laps or 45 Mins +1 Lap) | 12:00 – 12:50 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Feature Race (32 Laps or 60 Mins +1 Lap) | 13:30 – 14:35 |
| FORMULA 1 | GRAND PRIX (57 LAPS OR 120 MINS) | 18:00 – 20:00 |
How can I watch the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix
- Channel: Fox Sports 506
Fox Sports is the only broadcaster carrying coverage of the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
There is no free-to-air coverage or highlights of the event in Australia.
Coverage begins with opening practice from 22:00 AEDT on Thursday evening and carries through with coverage of Formula 3 and Formula 2 qualifying ahead of Free Practice 2 coverage from 01:35 AEDT on Friday morning.
Track action is then back on screen from 23:15 AEDT Friday evening following the Formula 3 Sprint race.
It’s then time for Formula 2 Sprint action ahead of F1 qualifying coverage, the build-up to which begins at 02:10 AEDT on Saturday morning.
The race day broadcast begins with the Formula 3 Feature race at 19:55 AEDT before the Formula 2 Feature and the pre-race festivities for the Bahrain Grand Prix from 00:30 AEDT.
Thursday, February 29
Practice 1, 22:00 AEDT
Fox Sports (Channel 506), Kayo Sports
Friday, March 1
Practice 2, 01:35 AEDT
Fox Sports (Channel 506), Kayo Sports
Practice 3, 23:15 AEDT
Fox Sports (Channel 506), Kayo Sports
Saturday, March 2
Qualifying, 03:00 AEDT
Fox Sports (Channel 506), Kayo Sports
Sunday, March 3
Race, 01:55 AEDT
Fox Sports (Channel 506), Kayo Sports
Can I stream the Bahrain Grand Prix?
The Bahrain Grand Prix will be broadcast live on subscription streaming services Foxtel Go and Kayo.
What tyre compounds are in use at the Bahrain Grand Prix?
What is the weather for the Bahrain Grand Prix?
Entry List
| Num | Driver | Team | ||
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | ||
| 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing | ||
| 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | ||
| 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | ||
| 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | ||
| 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | ||
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | ||
| 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | ||
| 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | ||
| 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | ||
| 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | ||
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | ||
| 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | ||
| 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | ||
| 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB | ||
| 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | ||
| 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | ||
| 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | ||
| 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | ||
| 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | ||
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