History
When the small island Kingdom of Bahrain hosted its first grand prix on April 4, 2004, it became the first Middle Eastern country to do so. The Kingdom, which is only slightly bigger than the Isle of Man, has just one circuit, the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) which was purpose designed by Hermann Tilke for the event.
Although entertaining to drive, featuring Tilke's trademark long straights followed by tight corners - most notably the first corner - the track is often criticised for not punishing drivers who stray off track. Its large run-off areas mean it is one of the safest circuits in the world, as such it became the first active F1 circuit to be awarded the distinguished FIA Institute Centre of Excellence award, awarded for having the highest standards of technology for safety, marshalling and medical facilities.
Fearing the venue would not be ready for the 2004 event, organisers attempted to cancel the race, but Bernie Ecclestone refused the request and although the facility was not totally complete the first race went ahead. There were fears that the sand that surrounded the track would blow onto the surface making it impossible to drive, so organisers used a resin on the sand to effectively stick it down and prevent it blowing around. The surface still remains a high wear track.
The race is seen as an international event which brings tourism to the island. The race runs under the banner of "Our Race" with images of locals cheering, their faces painted in the distinctive national flag. Attendance figures have brought criticism in the past, but organisers argue that building a fan based from scratch is not a quick task. In 2005, students of the neighbouring Bahrain University were offered free tickets to the event.
The location of the circuit can cause problems for teams and spectators, as the lack of local hotels mean that the majority of visitors have to stay in the capital Manama, around a thirty-minute drive away. In 2009 BIC announced collaboration with @Bahrain to develop the land next to the circuit - the development will include hotels and entertainment facilities as well as business and educational spaces.
The first race in Bahrain was won by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher, and Fernando Alonso became the first multiple winner of the event taking the honours in the following two years. Although drinking alcohol is not banned in Bahrain, unlike its neighbour Saudi Arabia, drivers are not given champagne on the podium. Instead they spray a non alcoholic rosewater drink known as Waard.
