F1 stars arrive for Bahrain Testing

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Formula 1’s superstar drivers and teams have begun arriving in the Kingdom ahead of F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026, taking place at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.

‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East will host six days of the tests over two threeday sessions, first from this Wednesday to Friday and then again from 18 to 20 February.

The F1 drivers and team members were received upon their arrival at Bahrain International Airport by BIC’s Meet and Greet staff. They welcomed the Kingdom’s guests and assisted them in their arrival formalities.

Testing will be an incredible opportunity to see motorsport’s top flight in action in its highly anticipated ‘new era’, featuring a host of transformative new regulations and an 11th team joining the grid in the 2026 FIA F1 World Championship.

The six days of testing will be the first chance for F1 enthusiasts in Bahrain and around the world to witness in person the next generation of F1 cars in action ahead of the start of the new campaign.

Fans will be able to access the tests on the last two days of each three-day session, on 12 and 13 February and then again on 19 and 20 February. Tickets cost BD10 per day for adults and BD5 per day for children.

There is also free access on both open days of the second Bahrain test on 19 and 20 February for all who purchased their tickets to the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 before 8 September last year.

To buy tickets or to get more information, visit the circuit’s official website bahraingp.com or call the BIC Hotline on +973- 17450000.

BIC is also offering exclusive hospitality packages during testing, featuring the best views of the action along with incredible, five-star cuisine and beverage selection. The hospitality lounge is located right above the F1 pit lane. Full details on BIC’s hospitality offerings are available on bahraingp.com. The packages can be booked online or by calling +973-17451086.

BIC will be opening its gates on the open days at 11am and they will close at 7pm. Along with the on-track action, there will also be plenty of off-track entertainment for the whole family to enjoy, including racing simulators and the chance to see a display of the new 2026 car in its special Bahrain livery.

This year’s F1 pre-season tests will be the sixth consecutive year that Sakhir has been selected as the venue for F1’s most important preparation period ahead of the new world championship. Testing was first held in Bahrain in 2009 and then again in 2014. They have since taken place in Bahrain each year from 2021.

The event will bring together all 11 F1 teams and it will be the first opportunity for fans in Bahrain and worldwide to see the brand new Cadillac F1 Team, who are set to join McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, Williams, Haas, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Alpine, and Audi in motorsport’s top flight.

The pre-season tests will pave the way for the start of the new season, which will kick off a couple of weeks later with the Australian Grand Prix weekend, scheduled for 6 to 8 March. F1’s star drivers and teams will then continue their battles with races in China and Japan, before returning to the Kingdom for the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 from 10 to 12 April – the fourth round of the 24-race world championship.

Tickets to the grand prix weekend are selling fast, with seats in both the Main Grandstand and Turn 1 Grandstand already 95 per cent sold. Tickets are also selling out quickly for the Beyon Grandstand, University Grandstand, and Victory Grandstand.

To buy tickets or for more information on F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026, the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026, or on other events and activities at BIC, visit bahraingp. com, call the BIC Hotline, or follow the circuit on social media.