Bahrain’s race fans will get a small taste of world-class motorsport two weeks ahead of this year’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, when it hosts official pre-season testing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Newly rebranded as F2 after being known as the GP2 Series since 2005, the single-seater championship will be taking to the track in Sakhir from March 29 to 31 in preparation for its 2017 season.
It will be the first time the series will be racing in BIC since 2015.
The tests will be open to the public on the final two days. It will be a part of the "Race Fever" campaign, organised by BIC to help build up excitement ahead of this year’s Formula 1 extravaganza.
The F2 field will then return a fortnight after testing to support Formula 1 in the Bahrain Grand Prix from April 14 to 16. It will be the first round of the 2017 F2 campaign.
The end-of-March tests are the second of the pre-season. Three other days were previously held in Barcelona from March 13 to 15.
This year’s F2 grid features 20 drivers representing 10 teams.
Charles Leclerc (MON) and Antonio Fuoco (ITA) are driving for PREMA Racing; Louis Delétraz (SUI) and Gustav Malja (SWE) for Racing Engineering; Luca Ghiotto (ITA) and Artem Markelov (RUS) for Russian Time; Nobuharu Matsushita (JAP) and Alexander Albon (THA) for ART Grand Prix; Oliver Rowland (GBR) and Nicholas Latifi (CAN) for DAMS; Ralph Boschung (SUI) and Roberto Merhi (ESP) for Campos Racing; Sergio Sette Camara (BRA) and Jordan King (GBR) for MP Motorsport; Nabil Jeffri (MAS) and Sergio Canamasas (ESP) for Trident; Nyck de Vries (NED) and Johnny Cecotto (VEN) for Rapax; and Norman Nato (FRA) and Sean Gelael (INA) for Pertamina Arden.
Cecotto of Rapax was fastest on day one, Albon of ART Grand Prix was quickest on day two, while Nato of Arden set the pace on day three.
This year marks the 13th season of the championship. Following the season-opener in Bahrain, action will return to Europe with the second round in Barcelona from May 12 to 14, before moving to Monte Carlo on for May 25 to 27 and going on to Baku in Azerbaijan four weeks later.
The month of July will see three events, starting with Spielberg back-to-back with Silverstone on July 7 to 9 and then July 14 to 16, respectively. Budapest will host the seventh round of the season on July 28-30 before a welcome summer break.
The action will restart at Spa-Francorchamps on August 25-27 back-to-back with Monza on September 1 to 03.
The 10th round of the season will take place at Jerez de la Frontera from October 6 to 8, while the final event will be held at Yas Marina on November 24 to 26 alongside Formula 1.

Source: BNA