Bahrain to host F1 pre-season testing despite 2025 calendar shift

Bahrain International Circuit will once again host Formula 1 pre-season testing in 2025, despite the venue’s race being moved to a different slot on the sport’s calendar.

Pre-season testing will take place over three days at Sakhir, from February 26 to 28, during which teams will gear up for F1’s final campaign under the current technical regulations.

The three-day event will mark the fifth consecutive year that Bahrain hosts Grand Prix racing’s traditional winter testing, a decision primarily due to the country's stable climate and temperatures which were frequently a drawback for the sports’ previous pre-season testing venue, the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

But although Bahrain has often been the season’s opening race for the past four years, the 2025 calendar sees a change in scheduling.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will now take place in April to avoid a conflict with Ramadan. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s race has also been moved from its usual March slot, while the opening rounds will feature a triple-header in Australia, China, and Japan.

• Read also: FIA approves rule change to permit 2026 testing with ‘mule cars

With the pre-season tests concluding two weeks before the first race in Melbourne, 2025 could be the final year Formula 1 uses the current three-day testing format.

The introduction of new technical regulations in 2026 is expected to increase the testing period to six days, allowing teams more time to adapt to the next generation of cars and power units.

In line with Formula 1’s push for sustainability and its 2030 net-zero carbon target, a significant portion of the sport’s freight will remain in Bahrain following testing, reducing the need for additional transportation ahead of the race in the Kingdom.

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