Bahrain Grand Prix 2025: Schedule, Key Highlights, and Broadcast Information
Formula 1 has made its return to Bahrain, the traditional venue for pre-season testing, as it hosts the fourth round of the 2025 championship. The Bahrain Grand Prix weekend officially began on Friday, April 11, with the first of three free practice sessions. The event continues through the weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit, promising more thrilling action as teams and drivers seek to gain momentum in the early stages of the season.
Friday’s opening session, FP1, marked the beginning of on-track activities, followed later by FP2. Saturday will see the final practice session, FP3, ahead of the highly anticipated qualifying session in the evening. The main race is scheduled for Sunday, rounding out what is expected to be an intense weekend.
One of the major talking points heading into the weekend is McLaren’s response to Max Verstappen’s dominant performance in the Japanese Grand Prix. The Dutchman’s record-breaking victory in Suzuka solidified his championship credentials, and the pressure is now on rival teams to catch up. McLaren, in particular, hopes to challenge Verstappen’s dominance and put themselves back in serious contention.
Meanwhile, Red Bull has already made significant internal changes. The team replaced Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda as Verstappen’s new teammate following the Japanese round. Tsunoda is still adjusting to the Red Bull car, and his performance will be closely watched throughout the weekend.
In accordance with a new FIA regulation for the 2025 season, several experienced drivers are stepping aside during FP1 to give rookie drivers track time. Max Verstappen will sit out the first practice session, allowing Ayumu Iwasa to step in. Five other teams are making similar changes to comply with the rule aimed at giving younger drivers more exposure to F1 machinery.
Ferrari is also following this new protocol by replacing Charles Leclerc with academy driver Dino Beganovic for FP1. Leclerc is expected to rejoin the action for FP2. Both he and Lewis Hamilton are aiming to help their teams recover from a slow start to the year. Ferrari is currently placed fourth in the Constructors’ Championship and is under increasing pressure to perform.
This weekend does not feature a sprint race, meaning the Grand Prix will follow the traditional schedule of three practice sessions, qualifying, and the race. This allows teams more time to test setups and gather data ahead of qualifying and the main event.
The local times for each session are as follows: FP1 started at 2:30 p.m. Arabian Standard Time (AST) on Friday, with FP2 taking place at 6:00 p.m. Saturday’s FP3 will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by qualifying at 7:00 p.m.
To help fans worldwide tune in, the practice session times have been converted into various time zones. For example, FP1 occurred at 12:30 p.m. in the UK (BST), 7:30 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast (EDT), and 10:30 p.m. in Australia’s AEDT zone. Fans from regions like Japan, South Africa, Mexico, China, and Egypt also have local times listed to catch every session live.
Coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix is available through multiple broadcast partners and live streams, making it accessible for fans worldwide to follow their favorite teams and drivers as the 2025 season unfolds.
As the competition heats up, the spotlight will remain on whether Verstappen can continue his dominant streak, how well the rookie drivers perform under the spotlight, and if teams like McLaren and Ferrari can close the gap at the top. With high stakes and no shortage of drama, the Bahrain Grand Prix promises another captivating chapter in this year’s Formula 1 campaign.
