Bahrain Grand Prix live stream: how to watch F1 online from anywhere – Lights out!
Verstappen has never won a season-opener or a Bahrain GP
Bahrain Grand Prix live stream
The 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix is available to watch for free on Servus TV in Austria, RTL Zwee in Luxembourg and Band in Brazil. A complete breakdown of free Bahrain GP live streams is listed below.
Bahrain GP start time: Sunday, March 5, 3pm GMT / 10am ET / 2am AEDT / 4am NZDT |
Free live stream: Servus TV (AUT) |
Use ExpressVPN to watch any stream |
Bahrain GP: race preview
Max Verstappen has never won the opening race of an F1 season or a Bahrain GP, but he's on pole today. Red Bull have locked out the front row of the grid, with Sergio Perez starting from the second slot, a nose ahead of Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Plenty of eyes will be on the man starting in fifth, Fernando Alonso, whose Aston Martin looks very promising indeed. The first race of the season is poised beautifully. It's lights out for the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix at 3pm GMT today.
A superb showing in preseason testing has got Red Bull oozing confidence, though it must be said that the Bahrain International Circuit hasn't been the happiest of hunting grounds for Verstappen. The reigning champion hasn't won the Bahrain Grand Prix in eight previous attempts, with the past two editions proving especially frustrating for the Dutchman.
Big things are also expected of Alonso, who last won an F1 race in 2013. Whisper it, but the Spaniard is finally in what looks like a competitive car again. The Aston Martin is being tipped to be at the head of the midfield this season, and if Mercedes aren't able to get their act together quickly they could even be swallowed up by the team in green.
Read on for how to watch a Bahrain Grand Prix live stream from start to finish and from anywhere in the world, including ways to watch an F1 live stream for FREE.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix schedule
The 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix schedule is as follows:
FRIDAY
Practice 1: 11.30am GMT / 12.30pm CET / 6.30am ET / 10.30pm AEDT / 12.30am NZDT
Practice 2: 3pm GMT / 4pm CET / 10am ET / 2am AEDT / 4am NZDT
SATURDAY
Practice 3: 11.30am GMT / 12.30pm CET / 6.30am ET / 10.30pm AEDT / 12.30am NZDT
Qualifying: 3pm GMT / 4pm CET / 10am ET / 2am AEDT / 4am NZDT
SUNDAY
Bahrain GP: 3pm GMT / 4pm CET / 10am ET / 2am AEDT / 4am NZDT
Watch a free Bahrain Grand Prix live stream
There are a number of ways to watch the Bahrain Grand Prix for free this weekend.
In Austria for example, all the races are shared between free-to-air broadcasters Servus TV and ORF (this weekend it's Servus). Take a look and find out what's available where you are:
- Albania: every race on RTSH
- Austria: every race on ORF Eins or Servus TV
- Brazil: every race on Band
- China: every race on Great Sports, CCTV or Guangdong Sports
- France: Bahrain GP on C8
- Iran: every race on MBC Persia or IRIB Varzesh
- Luxembourg: every race on RTL Zwee
- Middle East and North Africa: select races on MBC Action
- Pakistan: every race on A Sports
- Tajikistan: every race on Varzish TV
If you're out of the country you'll need to use a VPN to access your preferred Bahrain Grand Prix free live stream, as explained below. We rate ExpressVPN as the best provider out there, as it has a great track record for unblocking geo-restricted streams.
How to watch the Bahrain Grand Prix live stream from outside your country
If you're abroad for this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, you'll likely find you're unable to access your usual Formula 1 coverage like you would at home. This isn't necessarily cause for alarm, but rather the result of geo-blocking – best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world.
Fortunately, there's a convenient way around this in the form of a VPN. This is a nifty bit of software that lets you whizz around these digital borders, thereby allowing you to globe trot and still access your preferred F1 live stream. It's a completely legal workaround, very affordable, and super easy to use – allow us to explain more.
Use a VPN to watch a Bahrain Grand Prix live stream from anywhere:
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How to watch a Bahrain Grand Prix live stream on F1 TV
If you're an F1 devotee, then you likely already know about F1 TV – it's the streaming service to subscribe to for all the best live action, highlights, replays of classics races and a whole lot more besides – you can sign up on its website.
Most people will want to go for F1 TV Pro, which is the way to live stream every F1 Grand Prix in full – along with F2, F3 and Porsche Supercup as well. Prices differ from country to country – it's $79.99 in the US, for example – and in some places you can try before you buy with a FREE 7-day trial!
Just note that F1 TV doesn't provide live Grand Prix coverage everywhere, the UK and Australia being two notable examples. But it's a good option for people in the US, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Brazil and plenty more places.
How to watch Bahrain Grand Prix: live stream F1 in the UK
Sky has the rights to Formula 1 in the UK, meaning you can watch the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sky Sports – in 4K HDR, no less!
Subscribers also get to watch on the move using the Sky Go app, which is available on nearly all modern phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and consoles.
If you want to sign up to Sky Sports, you can check out our guide to Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices.
Don't fancy being locked in to a long, expensive contract? Consider the more flexible streaming option, Now, (formerly Now TV). Now sports passes start at £11.99.
Coverage of the Bahrain GP begins on Sky Sports F1 at 11am GMT on Friday for Practice 1, then 2.45pm for Practice 2. Saturday kicks off at 11.15am for Practice 3, and Qualifying coverage starts at 2.10pm. On Sunday, the Bahrain Grand Prix coverage starts at 1.30pm, ahead of lights out at 3pm.
Not in the UK but still want to catch the action? Use a VPN to live stream the F1 as if you were at home.
- Related: how to watch a Champions League live stream
Bahrain Grand Prix live stream: how to watch F1 in the US without cable
In the US, the Bahrain Grand Prix is being shown on ESPN, while Qualifying and the Practice sessions are on ESPN 2.
The race itself starts at 10am ET / 7am PT on Sunday morning, and the full weekend schedule is listed higher up the page.
Watch 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix without cable
If you don't have access to those channels on cable, Sling TV is an OTT service that's perfect for F1 fans.
The Sling Orange package includes ESPN and ESPN 2, with a subscription usually costing $40 per month. However, if you're new to the service you can get 50% off your first month.
Alternatively, FuboTV is an even more complete end-to-end cable replacement service, offering ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC and over 140 other channels on plans starting from $74.99 a month after a 7-day FREE trial.
You can also live stream the Bahrain Grand Prix on ESPN Plus, which costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. For the ultimate value, you can get a combined ESPN+, Hulu and Disney Plus bundle for just $13.99 a month, which adds loads of great entertainment and family-friendly content to the mix.
And, as described above, you may prefer to give F1 TV and its free trial a go if all you really care about is F1.
Watch a Bahrain Grand Prix live stream from abroad
New or existing subscribers to US streaming services can still access the platform of their choice from abroad by checking out a quality VPN and following the instructions above.
How to watch the 2022 Abu Dhabi GP: live stream F1 in Canada
As well as the official F1 TV service described above, viewers in Canada can watch the Bahrain GP on English-language TSN or French-language RDS – just bear in mind that they're premium channels that typically come with a pay TV package.
If you get them as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider to get access to a Bahrain Grand Prix live stream.
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN or RDS on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
The Bahrain GP starts at 10am ET / 7am PT on Sunday morning, and the full weekend schedule is listed higher up the page.
Remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30 days and follow the instructions above.
- More Canadian sports action: our guide to NHL streaming this season
How to watch Bahrain Grand Prix: live stream in Australia
F1 fans in Australia can watch the Bahrain Grand Prix on Fox Sports, available through Foxtel. Subscribers can also stream the action via the Foxtel Go app.
The race is also being shown on the incredible sports streaming service Kayo Sports, which is an ideal option for those who don't want the commitment of a lengthy (and pricey) contract.
Kayo lets you stream on one device with its $25 per month One plan, two devices with its $30 per month Basic plan, and three devices with its $35 Premium plan. All of them come with a FREE 7-day trial.
Kayo also gives you access to over 50 other sports including the NFL, NHL, cricket, NRL, NBA... the list goes on! Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.
Just be warned that the Bahrain GP starts at 2am AEDT on Sunday night/Monday morning. The full weekend schedule is listed higher up the page.
Don't forget, you can take your F1 coverage abroad with you, with the help of a good VPN.
How to watch the Bahrain GP: live stream in New Zealand
Sky Sport is now the place to watch F1 in New Zealand, and fans can live stream the Bahrain GP via the Sky Sport Now platform.
A Sky Sport Now subscription costs $19.99 per week or $39.99 per month. The monthly package comes with a 7-day FREE trial.
Meanwhile, Sky Sport subscribers can watch the race online using the country's Sky Go service.
The only catch is that the Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 4am AEDT in the small hours of Monday morning. The full schedule is listed higher up the page.
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Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.