Due to the 2021 Australian Grand Prix being postponed, this meant that the Bahrain Grand Prix was the season opener. This was the first time that Bahrain served as the season opener since 2010, and the first time ever that the season opener was a night race instead of the traditional daytime race. It led the first Hamilton and Verstappen duel of the season. Bahrain also held Pre Season Testing, for the first time since 2014. Last year in 2020, Pre Season Testing was held at Red Bull Ring, Austria.