BIC set for rip-roaring start to racing

Bahrain International Circuit’s (BIC) 5.412-kilometre track comes to life today when action in the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2019 weekend makes its rip-roaring start. The long wait is over for fans looking forward to “Limitless” thrills, as eyes around the world turn their focus to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the second round of the 2019 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. This year’s Bahrain Grand Prix marks race no. 999 in the history of Formula 1. It is also the 15th anniversary of the event and the sixth time it is taking place under BiC’s state-of-theart floodlights as a night race.

Formula 1 will be holding its first two Practices of the weekend today. Practice One is scheduled for 2pm and the next will be starting at 6pm, making for a pair of totally different sessions. Both will be held over an hourand-a-half. Following the season-opening Australian Grand Prix nearly a fortnight ago, the Formula 1 teams will be looking to either maintain their good start or turn things around and improve on their Melbourne results.

Set to feature on the BIC grid are defending constructors’ World champions Mercedes with reigning drivers’ World champion Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Ferrari with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, Red Bull Racing with Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly, Renault with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg, Alfa Romeo Racing with Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi, Racing Point with Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, Haas with Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, Williams with Robert Kubica and George Russell, Toro Rosso with Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon, and McLaren with Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.

Bottas was the winner in Australia where he was joined on the podium by teammate Hamilton and Vettel, but the Ferrari ace was the victor at BIC last year and all three are once again expected to be amongst the top contenders. The epic 57-lap battle is scheduled for Sunday evening with a 6.10pm flag-off, and it is set to be one of the most spectacular night races of the season. Aside from Formula 1, there will also be action in the two support series today.

The FIA Formula 2 Championship will be holding its weekend’s Practice and Qualifying, as will the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East. Formula 2 Practice begins at 11.30am while Qualifying will be at 4.50pm. The Porsche GT3 Cup Practice will be at 12.40pm while Qualifying is set for 8pm.