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BIC lines up fun-filled family attractions off the track for F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026
BIC lines up fun-filled family attractions off the track for F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026
- BIC to host six days of F1 tests, first from Wednesday to Friday this week and then again from 18 to 20 February
- Fans to get a chance to be the first in the world to see F1’s ‘new era’ cars in person and on track this Thursday and Friday and on 19 and 20 February
- All those attending on testing’s open days to enjoy racing simulators and challenging Batak and stick catching games at BIC
Formula 1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026 gets underway this week at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) and there is plenty in store both on and off the track for all those attending on the tests’ open days to the public.
‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ is all geared up to host six days of testing over two three-day sessions, first from this Wednesday to Friday (Editor’s note: 11 to 13 February) and then again from 18 to 20 February.
F1’s superstar drivers and their teams will be busy maximising their track running and gathering data ahead of the top flight’s highly anticipated ‘new era’, featuring a host of transformative new regulations around a brand-new, more agile F1 car 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, this Thursday and Friday (Editor’s note: 12 and 13 February) and then again on 19 and 20 February.
All those attending will also be able to enjoy a series of off-track attractions, including dynamic racing simulators, a Batak reaction game, and a stick catching game.
The racing simulators offer motorsport enthusiasts the chance to step into the world of speed and adrenaline and feel every turn and acceleration along an F1 track in a virtual setting.
The Batak and stick catching games will be putting fans’ reflexes to the test, challenging hand-and-eye coordination in a pair of activities that F1’s superstar drivers practice regularly to keep their skills razor sharp.
Aside from these, fans visiting BIC during testing will also have the chance to see a display of the new 2026 F1 car in its special Bahrain livery.
Tickets per open day of F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026 cost BD10 for adults and BD5 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 the tests, 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 testing’s open days at 11am and they will close at 7pm.
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.
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