After the first shakedown in Barcelona, F1 fans are eagerly awaiting the upcoming test days in Bahrain. Where the opening laps in Spain were run behind closed doors, the sessions at the Bahrain International Circuit are public, allowing extensive trackside reporting. Still, live broadcasts this year remain limited; during the first test week only the final hour each day will be shown.
On Wednesday 11 February a new three-day test in Bahrain begins. Sessions run each day from 07:00 to 16:00 UTC. The footage that Formula 1 broadcasts is, however, limited to the final hour of the test day. Viaplay, the Dutch broadcaster, also starts live coverage around 15:00 UTC. The second test week in Bahrain, from 18 to 20 February, is expected to be broadcast in full.
Spectators at the first sessions in Bahrain are only admitted from Thursday; Wednesday remains closed to the public. Unlike in Barcelona, there will this time be more information released about on-track activity, such as lap times, flag status, crashes and retirements.
