The 2023 Formula 3 season has officially begun with the grid stacked with rookies and veterans all chasing that coveted title.
The opening round at Bahrain commences on Friday with ART driver Gregorie Saucy looking to retain the form he had during pre-season testing. Meanwhile, the F3 grid will see 18 rookies all chase the Rookie of the Year Award as former rivals reunite. Two teams (Jenzer Motorsport and Hitech Pulse-Eight) have opted for the gamble of using an all-rookie lineup for this season.
The Circuit – Bahrain International Circuit
Gabriele Mini tops the @fiaformula3 afternoon session!#F3 #F3Testing pic.twitter.com/yUlZ6Cr78U
— Bahrain Int. Circuit (@BAH_Int_Circuit) February 15, 2023
At 5.412 km and 15 corners, Bahrain is one of the shortest tracks across the calendar. Bahrain made its Formula 3 debut last season with Franco Colapinto setting the record with Vans Amersfoort Racing at 1:46:249.
There will be a total of 53 laps – 20 laps for the Sprint Race and 23 laps for the Feature Race. The Sprint and Feature Races will both last 45 minutes. Hitech driver Isack Hadjar won the Sprint Race while ART’s Victor Martins won the Feature. Both have now graduated to Formula 2 for 2023 with Martins being the reigning F3 champion.
There are four straights and 3 DRS zones, so expect plenty of tight battles and overtaking.
Forecast
It is expected to be hot throughout the weekend with the temperature reaching a maximum of 28 degrees (82 F) during the Feature Race and a minimum of 25 degrees (77 F) during Friday’s Qualifying session.
Predictions – Feature Race (FR)/ Sprint Race (SR)
- Pole – Gregorie Saucy / Nikola Tsolov
- P1 – Gregorie Saucy / Franco Colapinto
- P2 – Zak O’Sullivan / Luke Browning
- P3 – Nikola Tsolov / Kaylen Frederick
How To Watch F3 (US & UK times)
- Practice: 3/3 – 2:55 AM on ESPN+ (07:55 AM Sky Sports F1)
- Qualifying: 3/3 – 8:00 AM on ESPN+ (13:00 PM Sky Sports F1)
- Sprint Race: 3/4 – 4:15 AM on ESPN+ (09:15 PM on Sky Sports F1)
- Feature Race: 3/5 – 3:50 AM on ESPN+ (08:50 AM on Sky Sports F1)
For international coverage, you can find local broadcasters by country here on the F3 Where to Watch page. You can also follow the Live Timings of each session.
