F1
Rivals tip Ferrari as the F1 team to beat but is it really fastest?
Ferrari has received plenty of praise from rivals for its speed but is the Scuderia flattering to deceive so far in F1 testing?
How to watch the 2022 Bahrain GP live: start time and live streams
F1
All the TV and live stream timings for the Bahrain Grand Prix as the 2022 F1 season gets underway
Bahrain kicks off the 2022 F1 season
Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
Formula 1 is back and the Bahrain Grand Prix kicks off a new season and new era for the series.
Totally redesigned cars hope to create closer racing and following testing at Barcelona and Sakhir, the signs are positive that we’re in store for another entertaining season.
The first of the 23 races takes place at the Sakhir International Circuit just a week after teams concluded pre-season testing at the same venue. Max Verstappen and Red Bull ended up quickest overall but it was Ferrari that looked to be the strongest team heading into the new campaign.
Mercedes has already said it won’t be competing for the win in Bahrain, but we’ve heard that story all before. There’s a new rookie on the grid in Zhou Guanyu as he becomes the first Chinese F1 driver while Kevin Magnussen makes his F1 return with Haas.
Following a positive Covid test, Sebastian Vettel will not be racing this weekend but is replaced by Nico Hülkenberg at Aston Martin.
All of the data has been crunched and the simulations have been run but once the lights go out, 2022 is go. Here is how to watch this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Key times
If you want to see all the action live as it happens, here are the times you need to tune into your TV or have your device ready. All times are GMT.
Qualifying
Live: Saturday, 2.55pm
Highlights: Saturday, 7.30pm
Race
Live: Sunday, 2.55pm
Highlights: Sunday, 7.30pm
How many laps is the Bahrain GP?
The 2022 Bahrain GP will take place over 57 laps of the Sakhir International Circuit. The track is 5.142km and will have three DRS zones for drivers to use this weekend. Windy weather is expected which could make getting on top of the new cars even more tricky for teams.
Where to watch
Sky Sports F1 will have every session live including pre and post-session coverage. As usual, Channel 4 will be showing highlights of the qualifying and race sessions in the hours after both have concluded.
Live coverage of the race starts at 1.30pm on Sky Sports F1 and 2.55pm on Sky Sports Main Event. Highlights begin at 7.30pm on Sunday evening.
Sky Sports F1 – Live
Friday: FP1 – 11.30am | FP2 – 2.45pm
Saturday: FP3 –11.45am | Qualifying – 2pm
Sunday: Race – 1.30pm
Channel 4 – Live
Sunday: Race – 12pm
Channel 4 – Highlights
Saturday: Qualifying – 7.30pm
Sunday: Race – 7.30pm
How to stream
NowTV will cover every session throughout the weekend, meaning you can keep up with the action whatever your location. The app is available to download on mobile and tablet devices – weekend passes are available which provide all the live sessions in addition to the pre and post-race coverage.
Who will win?
The consensus following the end of pre-season testing was that Ferrari was looking the strongest of the top teams though a leap in performance from Red Bull has it right in the frame too.
Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have already been playing down their chances whilst admitting the team had enjoyed a very positive winter test and were hopeful of the season ahead.
Red Bull’s upgrades on the final day of the Bahrain test that saw a new sidepod and floor fitted to the RB18 looked to do the trick and Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez topped the final day’s sessions with the world champion going fastest overall.
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Where does Mercedes fit into the picture then? Well according to the team, it still has plenty of performance to find and several high profile issues to rectify before it can fight for wins.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell maintain that they won’t be at the head of the field this weekend but rivals are sceptical as to the truth of those assessments. Mercedes definitely didn’t have its engines turned up, posting some of the lower speed trap figures throughout the final test in Sakhir but the issue of porpoising remains a big obstacle to overcome.
Ferrari and Red Bull appear to be on top of the issue for the most part with the former one of the best cars on current viewing at maintaining consistently downforce levels on the straights.
Mercedes’ W13 remained as one of the worst cars even on the final day of testing as the team struggled to find the ideal set-up to provide downforce in the corners but prevent the violent bobbing at top speed.
Whether or not that has been solved in the short week between the end of testing and Saturday qualifying will be a huge factor. If not, it will take some doing by Mercedes to be on a par with its rivals.
Otherwise it looks set to be a scrap between the Ferrari and Red Bull duo, with the Scuderia arguably holding the smallest of advantages heading into the first race of the new season.
2022 Bahrain GP session times
(All times GMT)
Friday
Free Practice 1: 12pm – 1pm
Free Practice 2: 3pm – 4pm
Saturday
Free Practice 3: 12pm – 1pm
Qualifying: 3pm – 4pm
Sunday
Race: 3pm – 5pm
Formula 2 Bahrain GP session times
Friday
Free Practice 1: 9.35am – 10.20am
Qualifying: 4.25pm – 4.55pm
Saturday
Sprint race: 6.40pm – 7.30pm
Sunday
Feature race: 10.40am – 11.45am
Formula 3 Bahrain GP session times
Friday
Free Practice 1: 8.25am – 9.10am
Qualifying: 1.25pm – 1.55pm
Saturday
Sprint race: 9.45am – 10.30am
Sunday
Feature Race: 8.45am – 9.35am
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