What to watch this F1 Season Kickoff Weekend (Mar 26th - Mar 31st)

• Formula 1 - Grand Prix of Bahrain. From the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. Practice 1. Friday @ 7:25am - 9am (ESPNU) live
• Formula 1 - Grand Prix of Bahrain. From the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. Practice 2. Friday @ 10:55am - 12:30am (ESPNU) live
• Formula 1 - Grand Prix of Bahrain. From the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. Practice 3. Saturday @ 7:55am - 9:30am (ESPN2) live
• Formula 1 - Grand Prix of Bahrain. From the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. Qualifying. Saturday @ 10:55am - 12:30pm (ESPN2) live
• Formula 1 - Grand Prix of Bahrain. From the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. Race. Sunday @ 10:55am - 1:30pm (ESPN2) live
• Bitchin Rides. Mon/Tue/Wed @ 5pm - 6pm (MotorTrend) replays
• Auto Mundial. Tuesday @ 7pm - 7:30pm (MotorTrend)
• Motorweek. Tuesday @ 7:30pm - 8pm (MotorTrend) 
• Garage Squad. Wednesday @7pm - 8pm (MotorTrend) replay
• Restoration Garage. Wednesday @ 10pm - 11pm (MotorTrend) new

Everyone is back to play with 2021-spec upgrades. Vettel is at the newly titled Aston Martin racing team, Red Bull is quick and has two of the best drivers in the field. Merc is back to chase manufacturers title number 8, with our usual duo, but still has a bit more work to do based on Bahrain testing. Ferrari is supposedly fast again, but we'll find out what the ground truth is this weekend.

In other news, we unfortunately found out about the passing of Sabine Schmitz over last weekend. There were rumblings of her battling illness, but I had no idea it was for multiple years. Sabine was a great driver as well as a great advocate and personality supporting German motorsport and the legendary Nürburgring (specifically the Nordschleife), a place we hold in very high regard here on ROTL. Sad to see someone, with so much positivity and enthusiasm for others, be taken away at only 51 years of age. VLN and Endurance Racing veteran race driver, Ring Taxi driver, Agriculturalist, Ring advocate, Top Gear presenter. Her passing shortly follows the passing of legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker; it hasn't been a good month. RIP Sabine and Murray.

Enjoy your motorsport weekends.

Video courtesy of Motorvision.

Video courtesy of Formula1.