Formula 1 is back with a bang this season with new cars and new team names up and down the grid, but as Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and the rest of the drivers return to the paddocks in Bahrain for the first Grand Prix of the season, don’t forget to set your alarms for an earlier race than usual.
Last year’s season opener at the Bahrain Grand Prix saw Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez take their first 1-2 of the year and set the benchmark for what the rest of the teams should expect for 2023. Max Verstappen took pole position by nearly two-tenths of a second ahead of Sergio Pérez in P2, with a time of 1:29.708 and went on to win the first Grand Prix in a record-breaking season.
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This season, the Formula 1 travelling circus will return to Bahrain for its first Grand Prix of the year, and whilst early signs from pre-season testing ahead would suggest that Red Bull will continue its era of supremacy, thanks, in part, to another rocket ship of a racecar in the RB20, this season’s opener will be a little different to 2023, so don’t fall for this obvious mistake.
The Bahrain Grand Prix will be held from 29 February – 2 March, with two days of practice sessions held on Thursday and Friday and Qualifying will be held on Friday evening.
Now, the Bahrain Grand Prix race will be held on Saturday 2 March with lights out at 6:00 PM instead of the usual Sunday session. For Australian viewers, the Bahrain Grand Prix will start on Sunday 3 March at the earlier time of 2:00 AM AEDT.