Ferrari dominated the first race of the new generation of F1 in the switch to ground effect cars from this year, with Charles Leclerc leading a 1-2 ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr, having also claimed pole position and set the fastest lap.
However, it was far from plain sailing with Red Bull pushing Ferrari the entire weekend, but both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez failed to finish the Bahrain GP due to a fuel pump failure in the closing stages.
That allowed Mercedes to pull off damage limitation as Lewis Hamilton completed the podium and new team-mate George Russell took fourth place, but the German manufacturer appeared considerably off the pace compared to its frontrunning rivals.
Haas enjoyed a heroic comeback in Bahrain with returnee Kevin Magnussen securing fifth place, but further back it was a nightmare opening round for McLaren, Aston Martin and Williams.
Aston Martin are yet to confirm if Sebastian Vettel will be back in action for the Saudi Arabian GP after being ruled out of the 2022 F1 opener having tested positive for COVID-19. Nico Hulkenberg remains on standby having been the team’s late super sub in Bahrain.
Full 2022 Saudi Arabian GP session timings
Friday 25th March 2022
Free Practice 1: 2:00pm-3:00pm GMT (5:00pm-6:00pm local)
Free Practice 2: 5:00pm-6:00pm GMT (8:00pm-9:00pm local)
Saturday 26th March 2022
Free Practice 3: 2:00pm-3:00pm GMT (5:00pm-6:00pm local)
Qualifying: 5:00pm-6:00pm GMT (8:00pm-9:00pm local)
Sunday 27th March 2022
Race: 6:00pm BST (8:00pm local)
How can I watch Formula 1?
In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is only broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.
Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £20 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.98 or a month membership of £33.99 per month.
Fans wanting to watch the race for free will have to wait until the evening of Saturday (qualifying) or Sunday (race) to see the highlights on Channel 4.
How can I watch the Saudi Arabian GP?
Channel: Sky Sports F1 HD
Channel numbers - Sky: 406
Channel numbers - Virgin Media: 506 (Sky Sports F1 HD)
Sky Sports has live and exclusive broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom, with the build-up to the F1 Saudi Arabian GP race starting from 4:30pm BST ahead of lights out at 6:00pm BST.
When can I watch the Saudi Arabian GP highlights?
· Channel: Channel 4
· Start time: Saturday qualifying – 8:30pm GMT, Sunday race – 10:30pm BST
Channel 4 has the rights to show Saudi Arabian GP highlights of qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday.
Will the Saudi Arabian GP be on the radio?
Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2022 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra stations or via the BBC Sport website.
Coverage of the Saudi Arabian GP will start at 6:00pm BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds app.
Weather forecast for the Saudi Arabian GP
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is set for dry and clear weather conditions throughout the race weekend, with a very low chance of rain on each day of track action. Highs of 27 degrees Celsius are predicted on Sunday for the start of the race with the temperature dipping as the race progresses into the night.
