Check out the 2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season test week 1 schedule as Formula 1 returns to action with the first of two three-day tests running from Wednesday February 11 to Friday February 13.
The event features daily sessions from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm local time (AST, GMT+3), including a mandatory one-hour lunch break between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, allowing teams unrestricted running to fine-tune their machines ahead of the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.
Sky Sports F1 will offer live TV coverage during the final hour each day (3-4 pm), complemented by a “Testing Wrap” at 8 pm, followed immediately by “Ted’s Testing Notebook” at 8:30 pm.
Each of the 11 Formula 1 teams will enter one car per day, strategically splitting their driver line-ups—morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) sessions—to maximize feedback.
2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season test week 1 schedule: Driver line-ups
| Team | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren | Piastri [AM] Norris [PM] | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
| Mercedes | Russell [AM] Antonelli [PM] | Antonelli [AM] Russell [PM] | Russell [AM] Antonelli [PM] |
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen | Isack Hadjar | Verstappen [AM] Hadjar [PM] |
| Ferrari | Hamilton [AM] Leclerc [PM] | TBC | TBC |
| Williams | Sainz [AM] Albon [PM] | Albon [AM] Sainz [PM] | Sainz [AM] Albon [PM] |
| Racing Bulls | Arvid Lindblad | Lawson [AM] Lindblad [PM] | Liam Lawson |
| Aston Martin | Lance Stroll | Fernando Alonso | Lance Stroll |
| Haas | Esteban Ocon | Oliver Bearman | Bearman [AM] Ocon [PM] |
| Audi | Bortoleto [AM] Hulkenberg [PM] | Hulkenberg [AM] Bortoleto [PM] | Bortoleto [AM] Hulkenberg [PM] |
| Alpine | Colapinto [AM] Gasly [PM] | Pierre Gasly | Franco Colapinto |
| Cadillac | Bottas [AM] Perez [PM] | Perez [AM] Bottas [PM] | Bottas [AM] Perez [PM] |
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