Bahrain GP weekend schedule: When does the race start?

The Formula 1 2022 season is almost here with the first race taking place in Bahrain this weekend at the Sakhir circuit, with the middle eastern nation on the calendar every year since its first edition in 2004.

Bahrain has opened the F1 season on several occasions and gets the honour again this weekend, with the other traditional opener of modern times, the Australian Grand Prix, making a welcome return this year and slotting into third place on the calendar.

Back to Bahrain, though, and the teams are already well familiar with the circuit this season having spent a three-day testing period at the track at the end of last week and into the weekend.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the quickest lap time of all on the third and final day of the test, too, and will be eager to try and repeat that feat come qualifying next Saturday.

What is the schedule for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, then? We take a look now from practice on Friday through to the race on Sunday…

Friday

On Friday, we have the usual two practice sessions, with both in the afternoon, and they are named FP1 and FP2 for those new to the sport.

The first will take place at 12pm UK time and the second will take place at 3pm UK time, with Bahrain three hours ahead of us.

Saturday

Saturday is where the real business begins with qualifying in the afternoon, following on from another practice session, which is named FP3.

FP3 begins at 12pm UK time whilst qualifying is at 3pm UK time and the session lasts for an hour, by which point we should have our pole-sitter for the first Grand Prix of the year.

Sunday

The first race of the season gets underway at 3pm UK time, with 57 laps of the Sakhir circuit scheduled.

The race, as ever for Bahrain, will be held under