In March 2004, the crowd roared as Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher lifted the cup after winning the first-ever Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, the spectacle marked the beginning of the 20-year journey of the Bahrain International Circuit.
Over the years, Bahrain’s event was recognized as the “Best Organised Grand Prix” by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA – the governing body of motorsports). To many, the Bahrain Grand Prix is unrivalled as the biggest event in the Kingdom, a testament to the circuit recording 99,500 spectators during the 2023 Formula One weekend.
Bahrain GP became the opening race of the Formula One season, setting the tone for an action-packed season where 20 drivers battle it out across 20+ race tracks all over the world. Boasting a capacity of 70,000 visitors and multiple track layouts, the entire facility took less than 18 months to build.
The weekend not only attracts Formula One fans from all over the world, but it also involves a huge lineup of entertainment and support races along with business and networking opportunities at the exclusive Paddock Club.
BIC, AKA the “Home of Motorsports” in the region, is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary during the 2024 Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix. Apart from the 20 Grand Prix races held to date, the 5.412-kilometre track also hosts the FIA World Endurance Championship Six Hours of Bahrain, races in the GP2 Series, and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
The ultramodern facility was designed by German engineer Hermann Tilke. After 18 months of construction, the circuit opened with a record five FIA-certified track layouts, hosting a range of motor racing events and off-track experiences.