Formula 1 teams are gearing up to hit the Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing from February 21 to 23.
This crucial preparation phase takes place just a week ahead of the season’s first race, the Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for February 29 to March 2, setting the stage for an intense start to the 2024 season.
What to know
- Pre-season testing for Formula 1 in Bahrain starts at 2 am ET 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 American audiences on F1TV, as ESPN, Formula 1’s US television partner, will not provide live coverage of the three-day event.
- Formula 1 pre-season testing highlights will be accessible on the official F1 YouTube channel.
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The anticipation for the 2024 season has been mounting in recent weeks, with teams revealing their cars’ new liveries and headline news such as Lewis Hamilton making an unexpected switch to Ferrari for 2025.
This leaves the seven-time world champion with one final season at Mercedes, aiming to narrow the gap with their rivals, Red Bull.
Red Bull is entering the 2024 season after an exceptionally dominant performance, securing 21 wins out of 22 races in 2023, with triple world champion Max Verstappen achieving a historic 19 victories.
As pre-season testing unfolds, all eyes will be on whether Red Bull and Verstappen will continue to be the formidable duo to beat or if a dark horse will emerge to challenge the status quo.
When is F1 pre-season testing?
- Date: 21-23 February
- Start time: 2 am Eastern Time/10 am local time on Wednesday 21 February
Pre-season testing for Formula 1 in Bahrain starts at 2 am ET 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 7 am ET and 3 pm local.
| Date | Session | Session Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 21 February | Morning | 2 am ET – 6 am ET 10 am local time – 2 pm local time |
| Wednesday 21 February | Afternoon | 7 am ET – 11 am ET 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time |
| Thursday 22 February | Morning | 2 am ET – 6 am ET 10 am local time – 2 pm local time |
| Thursday 22 February | Afternoon | 7 am ET – 11 am ET 3 pm local time – 7 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 | 7 am ET – 11 am ET 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time |
How can I watch F1 pre-season testing in the USA?
Pre-season testing will be exclusively available for American audiences on F1TV, as ESPN, Formula 1’s US television partner, will not provide live coverage of the three-day event.
F1TV’s coverage will start on Wednesday morning, but it will not offer an uninterrupted live stream due to the daily lunch break.
F1TV is a streaming service that allows live viewing on up to six different devices simultaneously, including through a web browser, its mobile app, or on a smart TV.
F1TV times for pre-season F1 testing
| Date | Session | Session Time | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 21 February | Morning | 2 am ET – 6 am ET 10 am local time – 2 pm local time | F1TV |
| Wednesday 21 February | Afternoon | 7 am ET – 11 am ET 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time | F1TV |
| Thursday 22 February | Morning | 2 am ET – 6 am ET 10 am local time – 2 pm local time | F1TV |
| Thursday 22 February | Afternoon | 7 am ET – 11 am ET 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time | F1TV |
| Friday 23 February | Morning | 2 am ET – 6 am ET 10 am local time – 2 pm local time | F1TV |
| Friday 23 February | Afternoon | 7 am ET – 11 am ET 3 pm local time – 7 pm local time | F1TV |
When can I watch F1 pre-season testing highlights?
Highlights from the Formula 1 pre-season testing will be accessible on the official F1 YouTube channel, where, similar to last year, a five-minute recap will be posted shortly after the conclusion of each day’s events.
Additionally, F1TV Pro subscribers will have the option to view highlights through the streaming platform.
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 in 2024 in the USA?
ESPN holds the broadcasting rights for Formula 1 in the United States, with a contract in place to air the series through at least 2025, having begun its coverage in 2018.
The network relays Sky Sports’ F1 coverage from the UK to its American viewers, distributing it across its platforms, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, and ESPN Deportes for Spanish-speaking audiences.
How can I stream F1 races in 2024 in the USA?
For those without ESPN in their cable package, a separate subscription is necessary to access F1 race weekends in the United States.
ESPN’s F1 coverage can be streamed live, making it accessible on laptops, cellphones, or tablets. The ESPN+ streaming service offers this access at a rate of $10.99 per month or $109.99 annually for newcomers.
In addition, popular streaming services like Fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV also carry ESPN’s F1 broadcasts.
F1TV, which is not available in the United Kingdom but is in the US and several other countries, also broadcasts the series live. It offers annual subscriptions for $80 or monthly options for $9.99.
Subscribers to F1TV Pro can enjoy live coverage of every session during a Grand Prix weekend, along with full race replays, live timing features, historical documentaries, and more.
