Everything you need to know about attending 2025 Formula 1 pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 27-28.
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Formula 1’s only pre-season test ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season will take place at Bahrain International Circuit from Wednesday February 26 to Friday February 28. The first day of testing takes place on a closed circuit, while the last two days will be open to the public. Affordable tickets are now on sale, as well as VIP hospitality. The pre-season test in Bahrain takes place three weeks before the first race of the 2025 F1 season, which this year will not be held at the same circuit!For the first time since 2019, Australia will host the season-opening race on March 13-16. The 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix becomes the fourth round of the season on April 11-13.
Fans are able to attend the last two days of this year’s pre-season test on Thursday, February 27 and Friday, February 28. Race organisers at Bahrain International Circuit have confirmed that anyone who bought tickets for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix before December 7, 2024 will receive free access on both days. Separate tickets for 2025 pre-season testing are also now available to purchase. (Don’t forget that Bahrainis observe their weekend on Friday and Saturday, so attendance is likely to be higher on the final day of testing. If you want less people, go on Thursday!)
How to Buy Tickets for 2025 Bahrain Testing?
FREE: Free two-day access (Thursday & Friday) is available to fans who purchased tickets for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix before December 7, 2024.
CHEAP: Regular access tickets are now on sale, priced at $31.50 USD per day for adults. Tickets for children aged 3-12 are half price. The same prices apply on Thursday Feb 27 and Friday Feb 28. Viewing is from the Main Grandstand, which has good views of the pits (see image below).
VIP: Circuit-run hospitality tickets in the BIC Hospitality Lounge are also on sale via our trusted supplier. Priced at $1,449 USD per person per day, these tickets gave you access to Paddock Lounge 6 above the pits with 5-star catering, premium beverages and a viewing balcony overlooking the pit lane. Additional benefits include a pit lane walk, VIP parking with shuttle service and access to the Oasis Terrace at Turn 10. Get more info
Please note that only single-day tickets are sold. Ticket prices are the same on Thursday Feb 27 & Friday Feb 28.
Why Attend Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain?
Attending F1 pre-season testing will place you among the first people in the world to see 2025’s Formula 1 cars on track! This is an extra 16 hours worth of on-track F1 action at a very affordable price, or even for free (if you purchased 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix tickets before December 7, 2024). Of course, it’s called testing for a reason. Not all the cars will be on track for the whole eight hours of each day’s running. Some cars may endure reliability issues which keep them consigned to their garages. Not all of the big name drivers will be taking to the track in each session, though most teams alternate drivers between the morning and afternoon sessions. While not every lap will be taken at full speed or on the limit of the car’s capabilities, F1 testing is a great opportunity to get close to the cars, teams and drivers in a relaxed environment. If you can’t make it to the track for testing, you will still be able to follow all three days of action live across F1 TV and via F1’s global TV partners.
BIC Hospitality Lounge & Oasis Terrace
Hospitality tickets are sold with access to a lounge above the pits with a viewing balcony, as well as access to the Oasis Terrace at Turn 10. Having experienced the Oasis Terrace firsthand (it’s also part of Paddock Club offer during the Bahrain GP), we can safely say that this area – pictured below – is one of the calendar’s best-kept trackside viewing secrets. Highly recommended for getting close to the cars, especially if you like taking photos.
2025 F1 Pre-Season Testing Schedule
Formula 1 has only so far confirmed the start and finish times for 2025 pre-season testing on February 26-28. The running in local time begins each day at 10:00 and ends at 19:00. Sunset is just after 17:30, so there will be up to 90 minutes of night running on all three days of the tests. The timing of the lunch break and the pit lane walk for hospitality guests, listed below in the schedule on Thursday and Friday, is subject to confirmation for 2025.
Wednesday, February 26 (Closed to Public)
10:00-14:00: Formula 1 – Testing
14:00-15:00: Break (TBC)
15:00-19:00: Formula 1 – Testing
Thursday, February 27 (Open to Public)
11:00: Gates Open
10:00-14:00: Formula 1 – Testing
14:00-15:00: Break with hospitality pit lane walk 14:05-14:40 (TBC)
15:00-19:00: Formula 1 – Testing
19:00: Gates Close
Friday, February 28 (Open to Public)
11:00: Gates Open
10:00-14:00: Formula 1 – Testing
14:00-15:00: Break with hospitality pit lane walk 14:05-14:40 (TBC)
15:00-19:00: Formula 1 – Testing
19:00: Gates Close
Attending F1 Testing & the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix
If you’ve got the time, attending both F1 testing and the Bahrain Grand Prix is a great way to immerse yourself in the world of Formula 1 as the season gets underway. It’s more logistically challenging to do that in 2025 however, unless you live locally. Rather than the Bahrain Grand Prix following one week after testing, it will be the fourth race of the new season some six weeks later. After testing (February 26-28), the 2025 F1 season kicks off with races in Australia (March 13-16), China (March 21-23) and Japan (April 4-6) before returning six weeks later for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix (April 11-13).
Race weekend attendances at the Bahrain Grand Prix have been rising in recent years, though it’s still one of the least attended races on the entire F1 calendar, and even less people will be trackside at the test sessions. Tickets & F1 Experiences are now on sale for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix. Organizational issues and lengthy queues that fans experience at many better attended races is not a concern at the Bahrain Grand Prix, where it’s easy to get to the circuit, tickets and accommodation are reasonably priced and the racing under lights is frequently close and exciting. Click the links below to check availability and pricing for tickets & F1 Experiences packages at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix.
