F1 stars arrive for pre-season testing today at Bahrain International Circuit
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The thundering roar of Formula 1 engines will be heard across the Sakhir desert from today as F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2022 gets underway at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
The highly anticipated threeday tests kick off a busy two weeks of top-class racing at “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East”.
The Bahrain sessions mark F1’s final on-track running ahead of the start of the 2022 FIA F1 World Championship, which follows the very next weekend at BIC with the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from 18 to 20 March.
F1’s star drivers continued to arrive in Bahrain yesterday leading up to the start of the tests. Among them were four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and Alpine partner Esteban Ocon, the McLaren pairing of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, Mercedes ace George Russell, Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Alfa Romeo Racing rookie Guanyu Zhou, to name a few.
They were received upon touching down at Bahrain International Airport by BIC’s Meet and Greet Team, who assisted the Kingdom’s guests on their arrival formalities and their transportation to their respective hotels.
BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa commented: “It is always an honour to welcome back the F1 community to Bahrain. “We at BIC are ready for an extremely exciting and very special two weekends ahead and we wish the F1 teams and drivers all the best during pre-season testing leading up to the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
“We also look forward to welcoming the fans for this week’s tests and for the race weekend that follows. “Having the honour of hosting pre-season testing puts us in the privileged position of being the first in the world to experience this new era of F1. We can’t wait.”
F1’s superstars will be out on BIC’s 5.412-kilometre Grand Prix track from 10am on each of the three days of testing. Their morning session will continue until 2pm before an hour-long break. Running will then resume at 3pm and conclude at 7pm. The same schedule will be followed throughout the three days of the tests.
BIC is opening its doors to the public on the last two days of testing tomorrow and Saturday. All those who had purchased their tickets to this year’s F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix before 1 March have free access to the tests.
For those without F1 tickets bought before 1 March, tickets to pre-season testing are available to purchase online at bahraingp.com, at the gate and at the BIC stand at City Centre Bahrain. They are priced at BD5 per day for adults and BD2.5 for children aged three to 12 years old.
Fans will be able to attend the testing from 12noon until 7pm. They can watch the tests from BIC’s Main Grandstand, which overlooks the F1 Pit Lane, the teams’ garages and the main straight. There is no seating allocation so fans are advised to get to BIC early to get the best seats.
While BIC is busy preparing for the off-track entertainment at the Grand Prix weekend, a food vendor area will be available on site for all those attending testing.
The tests will be the first opportunity for F1 fans around the world to witness in person the new generation of F1 cars on track. All 10 F1 teams and their star drivers of 2022 will be taking part in the sessions.
F1’s famous Paddock Club hospitality, with its exceptional cuisine and the best view in the house, is also available for the last two days of testing. Those interested should e-mail corporate@bic.com.bh or visit the BIC website for more details.
Paddock Club pass holders will also have the chance to take part in a Pit Lane Walk and Truck Tour on the two open days. This year’s F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is set to be a once-in a-lifetime occasion for motorsport, as it ushers in “A New Era” in F1 following the introduction of sweeping new regulations in the top flight.
For more information on pre-season testing and the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022, visit bahraingp.com or call the BIC Hotline on +973-17- 450000.
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