Bahrain ready for F1 roar

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, is all geared up to host the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 this weekend.

The Kingdom of Bahrain’s most anticipated event of the year takes place Friday to Sunday in Sakhir as the fourth round of the 2025 FIA F1 World Championship.

The sport’s superstar drivers and their teams have already arrived in Bahrain, and the stage is set for a record-breaking event both on and off the track.

The grand prix spectacle celebrates the 75th anniversaries of both F1 and Bahrain’s national carrier and grand prix title sponsor Gulf Air.

Following exciting races in Australia, China, and Japan, the stage is set for another epic showdown between the top flight’s protagonists. Sunday’s 57-lap main event will be the first night race of the season, taking place under BIC’s bright, state-of-the-art floodlights. It will be showcasing to the world that “The Desert Never Sleeps” in Bahrain and the Kingdom’s key standing in international motorsport’s pinnacle championship.

Stars on track

Set to be hitting the track this weekend are Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of reigning constructors’ world champions McLaren, who are expected to continue their battles with their chief rivals so far this season. They include George Russell and rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, four-time defending drivers’ world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Racing partner Yuki Tsunoda, the fan-favourite Ferrari tandem of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, and the talented duo of Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon of Williams.

The grid is completed by Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, Aston Martin’s twotime former world champion Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the Racing Bulls pair of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan.

Heading into Bahrain, McLaren currently lead the F1 teams’ championship standings with 111 points, followed by Mercedes with 75. Red Bull Racing are third on 61 points, Ferrari fourth with 35, and Williams fifth on 19 points. The standings are completed by Haas (15pts), Aston Martin (10), Racing Bulls (7), Kick Sauber (6), and Alpine (0).

Norris took the season-opening victory in Australia and he currently leads the F1 drivers’ championship standings with 62 points. He is engaged in a tight battle with Verstappen, who is just a point behind and was the season’s most recent winner in Japan last weekend. Piastri, the victor in round two in China, is third on 49 points, not far ahead of Russell who is on 45.

Antonelli, who in Suzuka became the youngest-ever driver to both lead an F1 race and to set a fastest lap, completes the top five with 30 points.

F1 experience

While the on-track action gets underway on Friday, fans will already be able to enjoy an exclusive F1 experience today with the F1 Pit Lane Walk.

Open to three-day ticket holders, the Pit Walk will take place from 7pm to 8.30pm, and all are invited to make the most of the opportunity to get an upclose-and-personal look at the F1 teams in their garages.

Fans could also possibly spot one of their favourite F1 drivers hard at work on their cars with their engineers and mechanics. Those interested in joining the F1 Pit Lane Walk are advised to arrive at the circuit early due to expected crowd turnout. Gates are scheduled to open at 4pm and close at 10pm.

This year’s F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is set to be yet another record-breaking event for the Kingdom of Bahrain and BIC.

All grandstand tickets to the race weekend completely sold out in record time, including seats to the Main, Turn 1, Beyon, University, and Victory grandstands.

Fans who have missed out on these seats can still get tickets to BIC’s last remaining hospitality option, The Dome by F1 Experiences, but there is only very limited availability. This is a unique way to enjoy the F1 weekend, with plenty of exclusive offerings throughout the three days.

The F1 action will be supported by three leading racing series, including the FIA Formula 2 Championship, the FIA Formula 3 Championship, and the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East.

F1 Fanzone to give unique and fun experiences

As part of the incredible offtrack entertainment programme lined up by BIC for the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025, the hugely popular F1 Fanzone will once again be bringing all kinds of fun, F1-themed activities to fans.

Among these are an F1 sim racing game featuring F1 24 by EA Sports, a Pit Stop Challenge, all kinds of photo opportunities, and an F1 Blast Lane and garage tour experiences.

All these can be enjoyed at the grand prix weekend free of charge.

F1 Sim Racing is motorsport in a virtual environment. It provides fans with a chance to get behind the wheel and a step closer to the action on-track. The state-of-the-art racing simulators are designed to replicate the feeling of driving an F1 car using the latest ‘F1 24’ game, produced by EA Sports. A large LED screen will be showcasing the racing. There is also a competitive element to the experience, as the person who sets the fastest lap of the day will win a prize.

The Pit Stop Challenge is an iconic activation in the F1 Fanzone, giving fans a sense of what it’s like to be part of an F1 team’s pit crew. Fans will take on the challenge of changing the tyres on an F1 car in the quickest possible time. Participants can compete in groups of two or three, with the fastest teams invited back at the end of the day to a final where they will compete for prizes.

The F1 Driver Selfie is an opportunity for fans to walk away with a digital or physical photo with their favourite F1 drivers and team principles. Fans stand in front of a backdrop, and with the help of augmented reality, drivers will virtually appear next to them for the selfie.

The F1 DJ Podium will let fans experience the feeling of stepping onto the top step of the F1 podium. They will lift the replica Ferrari Trento bottles, providing them with an idea of how their favourite drivers feel after securing a win. The DJ station which sits above the podium further enhances that celebration.

Race-goers will also have a chance to see the FIA F1 Championship Trophy up close, providing a perfect photo opportunity. An F1 show car will also be on hand, donned in the Net Zero by 2030 branding on the livery. The show car has video content which showcases F1’s future sustainability plans.

This is F1 4D is a cinematic live experience within the F1 Fanzone. A short, timetabled, curated show of incredible drama and the spectacle within F1, aiming to let fans experience the full power of F1.

The Blast Lane will also be a top attraction. It lets fans stand in a wind tunnel at full speed, providing them with an understanding of the innovative facilities teams use to test their contenders. The Blast Lane also includes a camera to capture fans’ faces as it hits full velocity.

In addition, an Oracle Red Bull Racing garage tour can be enjoyed in augmented reality. Pit portal users can hold their phone up and scan a physical door to reveal another world on the other side. Through augmented reality, fans are able to experience a working garage in action for an insight into team operations and getting closer to the action.

Stellar support race programme

Formula 1’s stars of tomorrow will be showcasing their prowess this weekend in the stellar support race programme of the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025.

F1’s two chief feeder series, the FIA Formula 2 Championship and the FIA Formula 3 Championship, will both be holding their respective season’s second rounds this Friday to Sunday at ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’.

F2 and F3 are staples in the Kingdom’s annual F1 weekend, and they both have become fan favourites, showcasing the best young talent that will be shining in the top flight in coming years.

Both F2 and F3 held in-season testing at BIC last month in between rounds. They both opened their campaigns in Melbourne, Australia, and are now all geared up to resume their battles with round two at BIC.

F2 is currently in its ninth season and it has produced readymade talent for F1. In recent years, current F1 stars who have made the step up from F2 are Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Alexander Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, Oscar Piastri, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Gabriel Bortoleto.

For F3, the 2025 season is the start of a brand-new era, with the latest Dallara-built car. It is more closely in line with both F2 and F1 in terms of safety, systems, and performance. On top of that, the new car runs on Aramco’s advanced fuel, which is being developed to the FIA’s 100% sustainable fuel standard.

F2 and F3 will have two races apiece over the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025, with their Sprint Races set for the Saturday and the Feature Races on the Sunday.

The F1 weekend’s support series programme also features the Bahrain-based Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East.

Online auction still open

BIC has joined forces with leading online auction company Mazad to launch a special charity auction to raise money for the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF).

As part of the circuit’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, this auction runs until race day on Sunday, 13 April.

Fans have the opportunity to place an online bid for a number of unique items, including motorsport and darts memorabilia signed by some of the sport’s biggest stars. The auction can be accessed on mazad.app under the ‘BIC Memorabilia’ category.