F1 Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain: Schedule, Start Times, and What to Expect

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The 2025 Formula 1 season is just around the corner, and pre-season testing is set to take place in Bahrain from February 26-28. This is a crucial period for the 10 teams, as they will have only three days to fine-tune their setups, evaluate tire wear and fuel consumption, and troubleshoot any issues on the car before the action kicks off in Australia on March 16. Former Aston Martin head of strategy and Sky Sports F1 pundit Bernie Collins shared her experience of pre-season testing, providing insight into what is really going on within each team during this important time of the year.

Each team can choose to give one driver a full day of track time or split the sessions between both drivers. Regardless of the approach taken, each driver is expected to log at least 12 hours behind the wheel over the three-day test, prepping them for the season opener. The teams have been working on their 2025 cars throughout the winter, and it is expected that we will see an evolution of last year's machines, rather than massive changes to the car design. A new season means new opportunities, and Bernie describes how the teams will be feeling ahead of Wednesday's test day in Bahrain, with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

The testing schedule will feature two four-hour sessions each day, with the evening session in Bahrain held during sunset into the night. The teams will be using various tools to gather data and improve their cars, including aero rakes, which feature sensors designed to measure off-body flow structures, and fluorescent flow-vis paint, which is used to visualise air flow over the body of the car. These tools will enable teams to gather further understanding of their cars and potentially make further improvements, whether that be in the form of upgrades or just set-up. The teams will also be focusing on tyre performance, which has become a critical aspect in F1, and getting on top of the tyres as soon as possible can have a big effect on lap time.

The Bahrain International Circuit is a track that tests every part of the car, with long straights, high-speed corners, and low-speed turns. It is also relatively bumpy in some parts, and the weather will almost certainly be dry, making it a great testing venue for the teams. The session times in Bahrain mean the final two hours will be held at night, in line with the qualifying and race start times for the Grand Prix, so the most representative running will happen then. Here is the schedule for the pre-season testing:

• Wednesday, February 26: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. local time (7 a.m. - 4 p.m. GMT, 2 a.m. - 11 a.m. EST, 1 a.m. - 10 a.m. CST)
• Thursday, February 27: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. local time (7 a.m. - 4 p.m. GMT, 2 a.m. - 11 a.m. EST, 1 a.m. - 10 a.m. CST)
• Friday, February 28: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. local time (7 a.m. - 4 p.m. GMT, 2 a.m. - 11 a.m. EST, 1 a.m. - 10 a.m. CST)

Fans across the United States can catch all the action on ESPN+, while in the United Kingdom, Sky Sports will provide comprehensive coverage of the pre-season testing. Sky Sports customers can also tune in through the Sky Go app, with a subscription option available via Now TV. In select regions, F1 TV Pro subscribers can tune in for live coverage on any device, along with the opportunity to catch up on full session replays and highlights afterward. With the 2025 F1 season set to be one of the most competitive in recent history, pre-season testing in Bahrain is not to be missed, and fans can expect to see the teams pushing their cars to the limit in preparation for the season opener in Australia.