Verstappen claims dominant victory at Bahrain’s 20th anniversary Formula 1 race

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East," welcomed a record sell-out crowd yesterday (Mar 2) for the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2024, the Kingdom’s 20th anniversary F1 race.

A staggering 37,000 spectators witnessed a spectacular celebration of racing and entertainment in Sakhir, the highest single-day attendance in the race’s history, with a total of 100,000 attending over the weekend.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was dominant in a one-two for Red Bull. He led teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz onto the podium.

Commenting on the conclusion of the Grand Prix weekend, BIC chairman Arif Rahimi said: “I congratulate Max Verstappen on his victory in Bahrain at our 20th anniversary race.

“The race weekend has offered a fitting tribute to our 20 years in Formula 1.

Our record attendance again shows the sport's popularity in Bahrain, the region, and beyond and offers us great confidence that we can continue to develop the event well into the future.

“I offer my thanks to Formula 1 and the FIA for their partnership and support in delivering an incredible weekend of racing.

I also thank the teams, the Bahrain Motor Federation, marshals, and all those who enable us to put on such an incredible show for fans around the world.”

Milestone BIC chief executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa added: “Twenty years ago, we began our journey in motorsport, hosting the first-ever Formula 1 race in the Middle East.

Today, we are deeply proud to celebrate our milestone with an incredible weekend of racing and entertainment.

“Our anniversary celebrations have given us a chance to reflect on our 20 years of racing history and the contribution we have made to the sport, but we also look forward to the future with great confidence.

“We now have a generation of fans in Bahrain who have grown up with the sport, and that same passion for F1 will follow for generations to come. We are confident that we can continue to grow our event for years to come.