Final F1 pre-season tests in Bahrain: How and when to watch on Sky Sports
F1's 2026 pre-season concludes with two three-day tests in Bahrain on February 11-13 and 18-20. Sky Sports F1 will broadcast live coverage, including full-day sessions for the second test, offering the final look at the new cars before the season starts in Australia on March 6.
Formula 1's final pre-season preparations begin with two three-day tests in Bahrain this month, offering the last glimpse of the 2026 cars before the season opener in Australia. Sky Sports F1 will provide extensive live coverage, including full-day broadcasts for the second test week.
Why it matters:
Pre-season testing is the only opportunity for teams to run their new cars in a representative setting before the competitive pressure of a race weekend. The data and reliability checks gathered here directly inform setup choices and potential upgrades for the opening rounds, making it a critical benchmark for the pecking order.
The details:
- Test Schedule: The first official test runs from Wednesday, February 11 to Friday, February 13. The second and final test follows the next week from Wednesday, February 18 to Friday, February 20. All 11 teams will be present at the Bahrain International Circuit.
- Sky Sports F1 Coverage - Test One (Feb 11-13): Live coverage will focus on the final hour of track action each day from 3-4pm UK time. A nightly Testing Wrap show at 8pm will recap the day's key events and interviews, followed by Ted's Testing Notebook at 8:30pm for deeper analysis.
- Sky Sports F1 Coverage - Test Two (Feb 18-20): The broadcaster will show both the morning and afternoon sessions live in full. Coverage runs from 6:50am to 11:05am for the morning session and 11:55am to 4:10pm for the afternoon session each day, with a nightly Testing Wrap at 8pm.
- Additional Coverage: Sky Sports News will have reports from Craig Slater in Bahrain, and a daily live blog on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app will provide lap times, updates, and video clips from 7am each day.
The big picture:
Bahrain has been F1's primary pre-season testing venue since 2021. Its circuit layout, featuring a mix of straights, braking zones, and medium-speed corners, combined with predictable warm and dry weather, provides teams with consistent and valuable data on tyre wear, car balance, and reliability—all crucial factors for the season ahead.
What's next:
Following the six days of testing, teams will analyze their data before packing up for the freight journey to Melbourne. The competitive truth will be revealed when the 2026 F1 World Championship officially begins with the Australian Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1 from March 6-8.