Bahrain International Circuit
Located in the Persian Gulf and linked to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway, the Kingdom of Bahrain plays host to one of the F1 Grand Prix events each year at the Bahrain International Circuit. Bahrain not only hosts the annual Formula One Grand Prix, but it also caters for drag racing and GP2 series races. In 2006, Bahrain was also able to host a V8 Supercar race, the Desert 400, and a 24 Hour Race. Much of the racing takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit – a brilliant circuit that is a source of national pride.
It was the Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa who initiated the construction of the Bahrain Circuit. The project became a national objective for the Kingdom and a lot of effort was put into making it the best racetrack possible. As the Honorary President of the Bahrain Motor Federation, it was easy for the Crown Prince to see the need for a proper racetrack in the country. By the time that the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix was scheduled to take place in 2005, the racetrack was still not complete. However, it was advanced enough for the race to take place which is exactly what happened. The success was phenomenal and the track has hosted an annual Formula One race ever since.
As a desert track, the Bahrain International Circuit has posed rather unique challenges. For one thing, there were concerns that sand would blow onto the circuit and disrupt the races. Organisers managed to overcome this by spraying the sand surrounding the track with a special adhesive to prevent movement. The track was designed by the German architect Hermann Tilke and it cost roughly US $150 million to construct. The circuit features six separate tracks: a Grand Prix track, an inner track, an outer track, a paddock circuit, a drag strip and an oval track. The full circuit measures 6.4 kilometres in length and has 15 turns.
The Bahrain International Circuit hosted the opening race of the 2010 F1 Grand Prix Championship on 12-14 March, with Rubens Barrichello taking first place in his Cosworth-powered Williams.