The first real pre-season tests that officially open the 2026 Formula 1 season are getting underway in Bahrain: here are all the session times and how to follow them live. The Sakhir circuit is getting ready to host one of the most eagerly awaited events on the motorsport calendar, as teams, drivers and fans focus their attention on the start-of-season testing. It is a crucial moment for the entire paddock, as it marks the beginning of a new era for Formula 1. For two consecutive weeks, from Wednesday to Friday, the famous Bahrain track will become the beating heart of the Circus, offering the first genuine clues about the performance and characteristics of the new cars.
After the initial shakedown sessions, these tests represent the first real opportunity to see the 2026 Formula 1 cars pushed harder on track. Engineers, mechanics and drivers will finally be able to work through structured programmes, collecting meaningful data and beginning to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their new packages. For fans, it is the first chance to start drawing comparisons and imagining what the upcoming season might look like.
What time do the Bahrain tests take place?
The official testing schedule has been designed to ensure teams can make the most of every minute of track time available. On each day of testing, on-track activity will begin at 08:00 and continue until 17:00 local time, providing a total of eight hours of running. Within this window, a one-hour lunch break is scheduled, giving teams valuable time to analyse the data gathered in the morning, make setup changes and carefully plan the afternoon programme.
Across these days in Bahrain, the focus will finally shift towards outright performance. This comes after the Barcelona sessions, where teams concentrated almost exclusively on reliability checks and the initial collection of baseline data, rather than chasing lap times or performance comparisons.
However, these will be somewhat unusual days for fans following the action from home. The FIA has decided, at least for the first week of testing, not to broadcast the entire Bahrain sessions live in order to allow teams to work in complete calm and without constant exposure. During the first three days of testing, live images will only be available during the final hour of on-track activity. For the rest of the day, fans will have access to live timing and selected images coming directly from the circuit.
Unlike the shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló, there will still be television crews and journalists present in the paddock, ensuring regular updates, interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the day.
How to follow the Bahrain tests live
During the first three days, from 13:00 CET to 16:00 CET, fans will be able to follow the sessions on the official Sky Sport F1 YouTube channel, with live timing and commentary provided by reporters on site at the circuit. The live broadcast of the final hour of track action will be shown on Sky Sport F1 (channel 207) and streamed live on NOW.
During the second week of testing, coverage will be significantly expanded. The Bahrain tests will be broadcast live for the full eight hours of running each day, from 08:00 CET to 12:00 CET and then again from 13:00 CET to 17:00 CET, allowing fans to follow every phase of the teams’ programmes as the 2026 Formula 1 season edges ever closer.
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