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Bahrain Grand Prix: FP2 results, schedule and how to watch first F1 race of 2024

Formula One's 2024 season is set to kick off this weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and the final lead-up to the race has already begun.

All 20 grid drivers participated in the first of two free practice sessions (FP1) on Thursday with the second session currently underway. Visa Cash App RB (VCARB) driver Daniel Ricciardo took the fastest lap in FP1 to begin what will be a slightly shifted weekend of festivities. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was fastest in FP2.

Though most race weekends take place from Friday to Sunday, the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on Saturday. Since Ramadan begins Sunday, March 10, the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, the second race of the season, has been pushed back to Saturday, March 9.

FIA regulations dictate there must be at least seven days between races, so the Bahrain Grand Prix was also pushed back. As a result, FP1 and FP2 take place Thursday, and FP3 and qualifying will happen Friday.

Here's what to know about the inaugural race of the 2024 Formula One season.

F1 races: How many laps are in an F1 race? Here's this season's circuits, lengths and lap totals.

Bahrain FP2 results

Position

Driver

Team

Time

Gap to leader (seconds)

1

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

1:30.374

N/A

2

George Russell

Mercedes

1:30.580

+0.206

3

Fernando Alonso

Aston Martin

1:30.660

+0.286

4

Carlos Sainz

Ferrari

1:30.769

+0.395

5

Oscar Piastri

McLaren

1:30.784*

+0.410

6

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

1:30.851

+0.477

7

Nico Hülkenberg

Haas

1:30.884

+0.510

8

Lance Stroll

Aston Martin

1:30.891

+0.517

9

Charles Leclerc

Ferrari

1:31.113

+0.739

10

Sergio Pérez

Red Bull

1:31.115

+0.741

11

Alexander Albon

Williams

1:31.333

+0.959

12

Daniel Ricciardo

VCARB

1:31.516

+1.142

13

Logan Sargeant

Williams

1:31.715

+1.341

14

Kevin Magnussen

Haas

1:31.764

+1.390

15

Yuki Tsunoda

VCARB

1:31.881

+1.507

16

Pierre Gasly

Alpine

1:31.951

+1.577

17

Valtteri Bottas

Kick Sauber

1:32.001

+1.627

18

Esteban Ocon

Alpine

1:32.027

+1.653

19

Zhou Guanyu

Kick Sauber

1:32.046

+1.672

20

Lando Norris

McLaren

1:32.608*

+2.234

Bahrain FP1 results

Position

Driver

Team

Time

Gap to leader (seconds)

1

Daniel Ricciardo

VCARB

1:32.869*

N/A

2

Lando Norris

McLaren

1:32.901*

+0.032

3

Oscar Piastri

McLaren

1:33.113*

+0.244

4

Yuki Tsunoda

VCARB

1:33.183*

+0.314

5

Fernando Alonso

Aston Martin

1:33.193

+0.324

6

Max Verstappen

Red Bull

1:33.238

+0.369

7

George Russell

Mercedes

1:33.251

+0.382

8

Charles Leclerc

Ferrari

1:33.268

+0.399

9

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

1:33.302

+0.433

10

Valtteri Bottas

Kick Sauber

1:33.354*

+0.485

11

Carlos Sainz

Ferrari

1:33.385

+0.516

12

Sergio Pérez

Red Bull

1:33.413

+0.544

13

Alexander Albon

Williams

1:33.583

+0.714

14

Lance Stroll

Aston Martin

1:33.868

+0.999

15

Zhou Guanyu

Kick Sauber

1:33.923*

+1.054

16

Logan Sargeant

Williams

1:34.213

+1.344

17

Esteban Ocon

Alpine

1:34.807

+1.938

18

Pierre Gasly

Alpine

1:35.144

+2.275

19

Kevin Magnussen

Haas

1:37.477

+4.608

20

Nico Hülkenberg

Haas

1:37.938

+5.069

Fantasy F1: How it works and where to play ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix

Formula One 2024: Bahrain schedule

  • FP1: Thursday, Feb. 29, 6:30 a.m. ET

  • FP2: Thursday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m. ET

  • FP3: Friday, March 1, 7:30 a.m. ET

  • Qualifying: Friday, March 1, 11 a.m. ET

  • Race: Saturday, March 2, 10 a.m. ET

How to watch Bahrain Grand Prix 2024

  • When: Saturday, March 2, 10:00 a.m. ET

  • Where: Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain

  • TV: ESPN2 (Thursday and Friday), ESPN (Saturday)

  • Streaming: ESPN+, F1TV, fuboTV

How to watch: Don't miss any F1 action this season with a Fubo subscription

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: F1 Bahrain 2024 Grand Prix free practice results, race schedule