F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream 2023 — how to watch race free online right now

It's time to watch the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live streams — and Toto at Mercedes has just given the press some frank honesty. He actually said the package they've gone with won't be effective.

You'll be able to watch it play out online, so read on and we'll show you how to watch F1 live streams from anywhere with a VPN, potentially for FREE.

While the practices weren't The Max Verstappen Show, qualifying was. Max has claimed pole position for the race today, with Checo at No. 2. Leclerc and Sainz trail at 3 and 4, with Alonso, Russell and Hamilton following at 5, 6 and 7.

This isn't exactly great news for all, because if Red Bull's Max Verstappen is doing that well — and after two consecutive championships — takes another pole home, we're gonna feel the worse sense of déjà vu. 

If you want a catch-up on most of what happened last season watch Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 5. Just don't tune in for anything from the dramatic Brazil GP, as the GP famous for Verstappen's denial of Team Red Bull's command to let Perez pass was wiped under the rug.

We'll find out soon how that practices pace translates to the first GP of the season. Full schedule is below, and lights are out at the Bahrain Grand Prix at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT / 3 p.m. GMT today (Sunday, March 5) and 2 a.m. AEDT (Monday, March 6). Make sure you don't miss a second of it by watching a Bahrain Grand Prix live stream — potentially for FREE. 

Read on for details of how to watch, and don't forget to check out our full 2023 F1 live streams hub for more information including the full schedule for the season.

FREE Bahrain Grand Prix live streams

How to watch the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream for FREE

If you're lucky enough to live in the Austria or Luxembourg then you can enjoy every second of the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream for FREE.

That's because the free-to-air RTL Zwee in Luxembourg will be showing every session of the Grand Prix, as will ServusTV in Austria. 

But what if you're usually based in one of those countries but aren't at home for the Bahrain Grand Prix live stream? Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country, when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home?

Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below.

Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.

Safety, speed and simplicity combine to make ExpressVPN our favorite VPN service. It's also compatible with loads of devices and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it out.

View Deal

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Austrian service, you'd select Austria from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ORF or another website and watch the race.

2023 Bahrain Grand Prix live streams around the world

How to watch the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream in the US

As with every F1 race this season, the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream will be shown on ESPN. Coverage will be spread across ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNEWS, with the race itself on ESPN and ESPN Plus.

There are several ways you can access ESPN — and two of them are among our picks for the best streaming services. 

ESPN is available through most cable packages as well as cable TV replacement services, including Sling TV, Fubo.TV, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV.  

As well as being available through your cable service, you can also stream the race via the ESPN app, or on the Watch section of ESPN's website. However, you'll need to authenticate with your satellite, cable or live TV provider credentials to watch any sessions. 

If you don't want to pay for live ESPN in some fashion or another, your best alternative is F1 TV Pro. This is F1's own official F1 live stream service, and as with ESPN's own coverage, it uses the feed from Sky Sports F1. 

F1 TV Pro costs $10 per month or $80 for the season, which is much better value considering there are 23 races this year. Plus you also get Formula 2, Formula 3 and Porsche Supercup races, and F1's archive of classic Grands Prix.

And remember, if you're usually based in the U.S. but aren't there at the moment, you can still watch the services you already subscribe to via a VPN such as ExpressVPN — meaning you can view the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream from anywhere in the world. 

If you're not already a Sling TV subscriber, you'll want Sling Orange in order to watch ESPN. This costs $40/month and includes dozens of other great channels. Recent deals have included 50% off for your first month.

View Deal

Love sports? Then check out Fubo.TV. It's got a 7-day free trial so you don't need to pay up front. The channel lineup includes ESPN and ESPN2, plus other top networks including Bravo, FX and MTV.

View Deal

How to watch the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream in the UK

As usual, Sky Sports F1 will show the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream, and in up to 4K resolution. 

You'll need to be a Sky Sports subscriber to watch the F1 live streams: the Sky Sports F1 channel is available for £15 per month (Sky Q is required), and there are packages available that give you lots more channels for only a bit extra. 

To follow it in ultra high-definition 4K, you'll need to pay a little more: you'll need a Sky Q set-top box or Sky Glass and a package that includes both Ultra HD and Sky Sports F1. In total, that'd come to at least £45 a month, plus a £20 one-off payment if you're not an existing subscriber.

A far cheaper option is to buy a Now Sports Pass. For all 11 Sky Sports channels, you'll want the £33.99 for one month. There's no 4K available here, though.

Again, if you're usually based in the U.K. but are elsewhere at the moment, you can still watch the services you subscribe to by using one of the best VPN services.

How to watch the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream in Canada

TSN has the Bahrain Grand Prix live stream in Canada in English, while RDS has coverage in French. F1 TV Pro also remains an option for fans. 

All sessions are broadcast on TSN, and if you receive the network through your cable or satellite provider, you can use TSN Go by signing in with your TV service credentials. Cord-cutters will want to check out TSN Direct, which comes in day- and month-long passes for $8 or $20 CAD, respectively. The TSN app will allow you to live stream the race from your phone, streaming box or supported device.

Not actually in Canada at the moment? ExpressVPN and other VPN services can help you access the services you already subscribe to.

How to watch the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream in Australia

Fox Sports has the rights to the Bahrain Grand Prix live stream in Australia, which means you can watch all the action online via Foxtel. 

Kayo Sports is another option. This service offers new subscribers a 14-day free trial, while one-month subscriptions start at $25. 

You can also use one of the best VPN services to follow the action from your home country even when you're elsewhere.

F1 Bahrain Grand Prix — Starting Grid

F1 Bahrain Grand Prix schedule

2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix live stream: Practice, qualifying and race weekend schedule

The Bahrain Grand Prix weekend begins Friday (March 3), with practice 1 and 2, with third practice and qualifying on Saturday (March 4) and the race on Sunday (March 5).

Friday, March 3

Practice 1

• 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. ET
• 3:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m. PT 
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. GMT
• 10:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. AEDT

Practice 2

• 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. ET
• 7 a.m. – 8 a.m PT
• 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. GMT
• 2 a.m. - 3 a.m. AEDT

Saturday, March 4

Practice 3

• 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. ET
• 3:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m. PT 
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. GMT
• 10:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. AEDT

Qualifying

• 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. ET
• 7 a.m. – 8 a.m PT
• 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. GMT
• 2 a.m. - 3 a.m. AEDT

Sunday, March 5

Bahrain Grand Prix

• 10 a.m. ET
• 7 a.m. PT
• 3 p.m. GMT
• 2 a.m. AEDT

F1 2023 car and driver line-ups

Latest streaming news from Tom's Guide

• A recent update to Pluto TV is adding a ton of free TV, and movies too
• How to watch The Last of Us episode 8: release date and time
• UFC 285 live stream: How to watch Jones vs Gane