F1 Bahrain FP1 live: First practice session underway ahead of 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
As anticipation continues to build for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix – the first race on the 2023 F1 calendar – the ten teams will finally get a chance to really put their new cars through their paces in the first practice sessions of the year.
Friday’s FP1 and FP2 session will mark the first time all 20 cars have been on track together in 2023 as teams were limited to one driver each on track during pre-season testing.
It will also be the first time that rookies Logan Sargeant, Oscar Piastri and Nyck De Vries will attend free practice for their new teams, while Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenburg and Fernando Alonso will use the time to further familiarize themselves with their new teams Constructors to get used to the 2023 season.
For all lap times during Friday practice sessions in Bahrain, The sports news got you covered.
MORE: F1 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix: predictions, odds, betting tips and best bets for the first Formula 1 race
F1 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix FP1 & FP2 Live Commentary, Highlights: How It Happens
1 hour to go: Hello and welcome The sports news‘ Live coverage of FP1 ahead of the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix!
For the first time in 2023 we will see all 20 cars on track as the excitement builds ahead of Sunday’s opening race of the season in the Middle East.
When does the F1 race start?
- Date: Sunday, March 5th
- Start time: 3pm GMT / 10am ET / 2am AEST (March 6) / 6pm local time
The 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday is scheduled to start at 18:00 local time. Lights out takes place just after 15:00 GMT.
Below is the full schedule of the weekend’s F1 events at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
| Date | case | Time (GMT) | time (ET) | Time (AEST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, March 3rd | practice 1 | 11:30 a.m | 6.30 am | 22 O `clock |
| Friday, March 3rd | practice 2 | 3 pm | 10 am | 2 a.m. (March 4th) |
| Saturday, March 4th | exercise 3 | 11:30 a.m | 6.30 am | 22 O `clock |
| Saturday, March 4th | qualification | 3 pm | 10 am | 2 a.m. (March 5) |
| Sunday, March 5th | race | 3 pm | 10 am | 2 a.m. (March 6) |
What TV channel is F1 on?
| United Kingdom | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| TV channel | SkySports F1 | ESPN/ABC | TSN (English); RDS (French) | Fox sports |
Where can I live stream F1?
| United Kingdom | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| Live broadcast | NOW TV / Sky Go app | ESPN+ | fuboTV, TSN Direct | kayo |
F1 season schedule 2023
In 2023, the Formula 1 calendar includes 23 races on four different continents.
The promotion begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5th and ends on November 26th in Abu Dhabi.
Here is the current schedule (subject to change):
| Date | race |
| 5. March | Bahrain Grand Prix |
| 19th March | Saudi Arabian Grand Prix |
| 2nd of April | Australian Grand Prix |
| April, 30th | Azerbaijan Grand Prix |
| May 7th | Miami Grand Prix |
| May 21st | Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna |
| 28th of May | Monaco Grand Prix |
| June 4th | Spanish Grand Prix |
| 18th of June | Canadian Grand Prix |
| 2nd July | Grand Prix of Austria |
| July 9th | British Grand Prix |
| July 23 | Hungarian Grand Prix |
| 30th July | Belgian Grand Prix |
| 27.8 | Dutch Grand Prix |
| September 3rd | Italian Grand Prix |
| 17th of September | Singapore Grand Prix |
| 09/24 | Japanese Grand Prix |
| 8th October | Qatar Grand Prix |
| October 22nd | United States Grand Prix |
| October 29th | Mexican Grand Prix |
| November 5th | Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 19.11 | Las Vegas Grand Prix |
| 11/26 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
How to watch Formula 1 in the USA
- TV channel: ABC; ESPN
- Live broadcast: FuboTV / Hulu / Sling TV
F1 fans in the US can catch all the action in 2023 when all 23 races will be broadcast live on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. For Spanish-speaking viewers, there is live coverage on ESPN Deportes, although ESPNews and ESPNU will also be showing some practice and qualifying sessions live throughout the year.
In addition to the official F1 TV service, the action can be streamed live with subscriptions to Hulu + Live TV. Elsewhere, Sling TV will show the action, as will FuboTV in the US.
How to watch Formula 1 in Canada
- TV channel: TSN (English); RDS (French)
- Live broadcast: TSN Direct
For fans in Canada, TSN will broadcast the races in English. For those looking for French language broadcasts, RDS is here for you.
The races can be streamed on fuboTV and via TSN’s streaming service, TSN Direct.
How to watch Formula 1 in the UK
- TV channel: SkySports F1
- Live broadcast: NOW TV / Sky Go app
Viewers in the UK can follow all the F1 action on Sky Sports F1, the dedicated F1 channel. Viewers planning to live stream F1 in 2023 can watch it via the Sky Go app if they’re already a subscriber, or they can buy a Sky Sports Pass on NOW TV.
How to watch Formula 1 in Australia
- TV channel: Fox Sports; channel 10
- Live broadcast: kayo
Fox Sports will broadcast all races in Australia for the 2023 season.