This week, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, pre-season testing starts in Bahrain, setting the stage for the season’s inaugural race the following week. You can catch the live track action every morning starting at 7 am.
There has been excitement for the upcoming 2024 season since the latest cars were unveiled a week ago, and now, we’re poised to witness them in their first significant track time, broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 for UK viewers.
What to know
- Pre-season testing for Formula 1 in Bahrain starts at 7 am GMT and 10 am local time on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, marking the beginning of three days of intensive track activity.
- Pre-season testing will be exclusively available for UK audiences on Sky Sports F1, Formula 1’s UK television partner.
- Formula 1 pre-season testing highlights and interviews follow at 8 pm GMT each night before the essential accompaniment to any week of testing, Ted’s Notebook, at 8.30 pm. GMT.
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A mere eighty-seven days since the 2023 season concluded in Abu Dhabi, the motorsport world is abuzz with anticipation for the 2024 season’s start at the Bahrain International Circuit. Starting Wednesday, the Sakhir venue will host an extensive fortnight of racing events following an eventful and unpredictable off-season.
The focus shifts to the circuit before the start of race week, with the pivotal three-day pre-season testing on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. During these sessions, the ten newly unveiled cars will undergo rigorous testing on the track for eight hours each day.
When is F1 pre-season testing?
- Date: 21-23 February
- Start time: 7 am GMT/10 am local time on Wednesday 21 February
Pre-season testing for Formula 1 in Bahrain starts at 7 am GMT and 10 am local time on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, marking the beginning of three days of intensive track activity.
On each day, pre-season testing will begin at the the same time, featuring morning sessions that span four hours. Sessions will resume after the lunch break in Bahrain at 12 pm GMT and 3 pm local.
| Date | Session | Session Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 21 February | Morning | 7 am GMT – 11 am GMT / 10 am local time – 2 pm local time |
| Wednesday 21 February | Afternoon | 12 pm GMT – 4 pm GMT / 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time |
| Thursday 22 February | Morning | 7 am GMT – 11 am GMT / 10 am local time – 2 pm local time |
| Thursday 22 February | Afternoon | 7 am GMT – 11 am GMT / 10 am local time – 2 pm local time |
| Friday 23 February | Morning | 2 am ET – 6 am ET 10 am local time – 2 pm local time |
| Friday 23 February | Afternoon | 12 pm GMT – 4 pm GMT / 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time |
How can I watch F1 pre-season testing in the UK?
Sky Sports F1 ensures comprehensive coverage of every moment for UK customers.
Tune in for live updates from the track, starting with the green flag at 7 am and ending with the chequered flag at 4 pm UK time. This offers an unparalleled opportunity to gauge the performance of the new cars as teams endeavour to accumulate mileage, perfect initial setups, and unveil their true speed. This sets the stage for the season’s first record-breaking 24 Grand Prix races at the same venue, running from February 29 to March 2.
F1 pre-season testing on Sky Sports can also be live-streamed via NOW TV, meaning the action can be watched on a mobile or tablet device and a console, while Sky Sports Main Event will also broadcast some sessions.
Sky Sports F1 times for pre-season F1 testing
| Date | Session | Session Time GMT | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 21 February | Morning | 6.50 am – 11.05 am GMT | Sky Sports F1/Sky Sports Main Event |
| Wednesday 21 February | Afternoon | 11.55 am – 4.05 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1/Sky Sports Main Event |
| Wednesday 21 February | Testing Wrap | 8 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Wednesday 21 February | Ted’s Testing Notebook | 8:30 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Thursday 22 February | Morning | 6.50 am – 11.05 am GMT | Sky Sports F1/Sky Sports Main Event |
| Thursday 22 February | Afternoon | 11.55 am – 4.05 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Thursday 22 February | Testing Wrap | 8 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Thursday 22 February | Ted’s Testing Notebook | 8:30 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Friday 23 February | Morning | 6.50 am – 11.05 am GMT | Sky Sports F1/Sky Sports Main Event |
| Friday 23 February | Afternoon | 11.55 am – 4.05 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Friday 23 February | Testing Wrap | 8 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Friday 23 February | Ted’s Testing Notebook | 8:30 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
| Friday 23 February | Development Corner | 9 pm GMT | Sky Sports F1 |
When can I watch F1 pre-season testing highlights?
Every evening at 8 pm, catch the Testing Wrap for a compilation of the day’s top highlights and interviews, followed by Ted’s Notebook at 8:30 pm, a vital feature of any testing week, providing a comprehensive summary of the day’s events from Bahrain.
Ted Kravitz takes centre stage each evening, delivering the essential insights and stories from the testing sessions, offering an early glimpse into the competitive hierarchy of 2024 and the teams’ efforts to close the gap on Red Bull.
After the final day of testing, don’t miss the special segment, Development Corner with Ted, airing at 9 pm on Friday. This extra show delves into the analysis of the ten cars, focusing on the significant off-season developments and trends that have drawn Ted’s attention.
Highlights from the pre-season testing will be accessible on the official F1 YouTube channel. Last year, the channel featured concise highlight packages, approximately five minutes long, uploaded shortly after the conclusion of each testing day.
Who is testing for each F1 team?
During pre-season testing, F1 teams typically have a single car on the track for each session, leading them to divide the driving time between their two drivers, allocating approximately 1.5 days to each.
For instance, in 2023, Ferrari’s strategy had Carlos Sainz taking the wheel for two morning sessions and one afternoon session, while his teammate, Charles Leclerc, took on the reverse schedule.
Teams may adopt various approaches, as seen with Red Bull’s strategy last year where Max Verstappen was given the entire first day, Sergio Perez the third, and both sharing driving responsibilities on the second day.
It’s less common, but sometimes a reserve driver is given the opportunity to participate, as was the case when Roy Nissany drove for Williams on the first day in 2021, and Felipe Drugovich stepped in for Aston Martin in 2023 following Lance Stroll‘s injuries from a cycling accident. However, such instances are exceptional.
How can I watch F1 races live in 2024 in the UK?
Merely a week after the pre-season testing, the 2024 season kicks off with the Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled from February 29 to March 2.
In observance of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, both the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix and, a week later, the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, will take place on a Saturday.
Consequently, the first and second practice sessions are slated for Thursdays, while the final practice and qualifying rounds will occur on Fridays.
Since 2012, Sky Sports has been the exclusive broadcaster of F1 in the UK, requiring a subscription for viewers to follow the series. Subscriptions to Sky Sports start at £18 per month, granting access to all nine channels.
Additionally, F1 enthusiasts have the option to live stream races via NOW TV, which provides full access to Sky Sports. NOW TV offers two introductory deals for new subscribers: a monthly pass at £26 or a day pass for £11.99.
While Sky Sports exclusively broadcasts F1 in the UK, Channel 4 has the rights to air the British Grand Prix live from July 5-7, 2024, making it the only race available on free-to-air television.
For live grand prix broadcasts in the UK, F1TV does not have rights, but fans can still enjoy a range of F1 content, including documentaries, on the platform. Subscription options for F1TV are available at £2.99 per month or £19.99 annually.
