Teams have announced their liveries, Drive to Survive is on Netflix and Red Bull are looking strong, but all of this points to one thing. That means F1 will open its 2024 season with this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
This season will feature a record 24 races in 21 countries on five continents. The calendar features the resumption of the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit after a four-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The 2024 driver line-up remains unchanged from the end of the 2023 season, but this year will see Lewis Hamilton’s incredible time at Mercedes, as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton moves to Ferrari for 2025. This will put an end to this run. In the 2013 season, Hamilton won his 82 of his 103 career wins and his six of his seven world titles.
Here’s what else you need to know heading into the first Grand Prix weekend of the year.
Bahrain GP broadcast schedule
All hours (ET)
Thursday, February 29th
6:25am to 7:30am: Free Practice 1 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
9:55am – 11am: Free Practice 2 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
Friday, March 1st
6:25am to 7:30am: Free Practice 3 (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
10:55am to noon: Qualifying (ESPN2, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
Sunday, March 2nd
8:30am to 9:55am: Pre-race programming (ESPN, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
6:55 a.m. to noon: Bahrain Grand Prix (ESPN, ESPN+, F1TV Pro)
Bahrain Grand Prix Race Details
Tracking: Bahrain International Circuit, a 15-turn, 5.62-mile clockwise permanent racing facility in Sakhir, Bahrain
Lace length: 57 laps
Tire compound: C1 (hard) | C2 (medium) | C3 (soft)
Lap record: 1:31.447 (Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren Mercedes, 2005)
2023 Winners: Max Verstappen, Red Bull-RBPT
Top drivers and best bets for Bahrain GP
According to BetMGM, triple defending champion Max Verstappen enters the race weekend as the overwhelming favorite to win on the -300 money line. The next best odds are Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at 8-1. Verstappen set the fastest time in the first pre-season test in Bahrain last week, while Leclerc led in the second of three sessions.
best odds to win
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Max Verstappen -300
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Charles Leclerc +800
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Sergio Perez +1200
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Lewis Hamilton +1200
Bahrain Grand Prix Entry
Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull Honda RBPT
Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull Honda RBPT
Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari
Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes
George Russell (63), Mercedes
Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine Renault
Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine Renault
Lando Norris (4), McLaren Mercedes
Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren Mercedes
Chou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo Ferrari
Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo Ferrari
Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin Mercedes
Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin Mercedes
Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas Ferrari
Nico Hulkenberg (27), Haas Ferrari
Daniel Ricciardo (3), AlphaTauri Honda RBPT
Hiroki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri Honda RBPT
Logan Sargent (2), Williams Mercedes
Alexander Albon (23), Williams Mercedes
bahrain grand prix weather
According to the forecast, the temperature was in the mid-60s, and there was no chance of rain during the course in the evening (it was a desert after all). The atmospheric condition most likely to impact the weekend is wind, with gusts of up to 25 mph expected during practice and qualifying. This represents an unpredictable challenge in some of Bahrain’s heavy braking zones. A strong gust of wind at the wrong time when you’re trying to slow your car can cause it to swerve and ruin your lap.
