F1 weather forecast: Hot temperatures set to test drivers at Bahrain Grand Prix

The fourth race of the 2025 F1 season sees the paddock return to the Middle East

(Getty Images)

F1 returns to Sakhir this weekend for the Bahrain Grand Prix and round four of the 2025 F1 season.

Lando Norris saw his championship lead cut to one point after Max Verstappen’s brilliant victory in Japan last time out, with the McLaren driver forced to settle for second ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri.

It was another difficult weekend for Ferrari in Suzuka, short of pace compared to the frontrunners, with Charles Leclerc finishing in fourth and Lewis Hamilton down in seventh, though the Brit hinted that a change is forthcoming to the SF-25 car.

Now, the grid returns to Bahrain - where pre-season testing took place in February - for the second race in the Asian triple-header. Verstappen won last year’s race in Bahrain, leading home a Red Bull one-two.

But what is the weather forecast in Bahrain this week?

Temperatures are set to hit 40C this week in Bahrain, with media day on Thursday seeing the highest temperature of 40C at 3pm at the Sakhir circuit.

Fortunately for the drivers, temperatures drop for the three days of running.

Free practice 1 at 3:30pm, local time, on Friday will see the drivers encounter 31C sunshine, with the second session around 25C.

Round four of the 2025 season takes place in Bahrain (Getty Images)

Saturday’s practice session will take place at 31C, with qualifying around 25C.

Sunday’s race, at 6pm local time, sees temperatures around 27C.

When temperatures are consistently higher than 30C, cockpit temperatures can quickly go to around 50C.

The FIA have approved a new cooling device for the 2024 season, which involves cooled water being pumped around driver overalls. This follows the cases of extreme heat and dehydration at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.