F1 testing: Schedule, live stream and how to watch in the UK today
F1 testing 2022 continues in Bahrain with just a little over a week until the new season gets underway on the same track
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F1 testing 2022 heads to Bahrain as final preparations for the new season, which begins on March 18, take place on the track that will also host the first grand prix of the new campaign.
Three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit from March 10-12 will allow teams to fine-tune their cars and build on the progress they made, or perhaps solve the problems they encountered, during the first phase of testing in Barcelona last month.
Mercedes - traditionally not the strongest in pre-season - topped the test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a one-two on the final day, Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest lap and new team-mate George Russell not far behind as the eight-time reigning constructors’ champions laid down an early marker.
Ferrari also impressed in Barcelona as they topped the lap charts with 439 laps, while McLaren, Red Bull and Williams demonstrated decent reliability as they racked up the mileage.
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Haas struggled in Spain and have been in turmoil since, with the team opting to drop Russian title sponsor Uralkali and sack driver Nikita Mazepin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will step in for the axed Mazepin at the Bahrain test but a final decision on a race driver alongside Mick Schumacher for the 2022 season is yet to be announced.
Excitement is growing with a little over a week until the season itself gets underway - not to mention the latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive hitting the airwaves on March 11 - but first, here are the times and schedule for the F1 teams and drivers in Bahrain.
What are the F1 testing dates 2022?
The first pre-season test took place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in February and the second phase of testing will happen in Bahrain from 10-12 March, a week before the 2022 F1 opener, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on 18-20 March.
After the test in Barcelona had no live TV coverage, no live timing and was closed to fans, the second pre-season test in Bahrain will revert to the traditional format with fans allowed to attend, live TV coverage and live timing.
How to watch F1 testing 2022
All three days of the Bahrain test will be live on Sky Sports F1, as well as a daily round-up show after the conclusion of running. Alternatively, follow the action The Independent as we will be live blogging the event.
What time does F1 testing 2022 get underway in Bahrain?
The track in Bahrain is open from 7am GMT until 4pm GMT each day from 10-12 March, with the first session at 7am GMT until 11am GMT and the second at 12pm GMT until 4pm GMT. There is an hour for lunch that can be skipped to catch up on track time if it is lost due to red flags or poor weather conditions.
F1 rules mean each team can only run one car during the test (except for mule cars permitted for tyre testing at the request of Pirelli), so teams generally split driving responsibility between each of their drivers, in addition to any test or reserve drivers they want to get time in the car.
Here’s a full list of the drivers set to appear each day:
Thursday morning: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Alexander Albon (Williams), Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), No driver on track due to freight delay (Haas)
Thursday afternoon: George Russell (Mercedes), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Alexander Albon (Williams), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Pietro Fittipaldi (Haas)
Friday morning: George Russell (Mercedes), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Nicholas Latifi (Williams), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Mick Schumacher (Haas)
Friday afternoon: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Nicholas Latifi (Williams), Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Saturday morning: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Lando Norris (McLaren), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Nicholas Latifi (Williams), Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Saturday afternoon: George Russell (Mercedes), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Lando Norris (McLaren), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Alexander Albon (Williams), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Mick Schumacher (Haas)
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