Baharin Grand Prix: Facts & Figures

By Andrew Hooper
April 7 2004

 

 

  
Facts & Figures
 
* Bahrain is the first of two new venues to join the Formula One calendar in 2004. In September, the World Championship will again enter uncharted territory when the teams travel to Shanghai.

* Bahrain was a British protectorate until 1971, after which it gained its independence and became an Arab Emirate. The head of state is the Emir, who rules through a cabinet. There is no party system and there are no elections. Bahrain has a population of just over 670,000, of which 63% are Bahrainis, 19% Asians, 10% foreign Arabs and 8% Iranians. The official language is Arabic. Islam is the state religion, with some 90% of the population Muslims. 70% of these are Shiites and 30% Sunnis.

* The state covers a total area of 665km˛ across 36 islands off the Saudi Arabian coast. The capital, Manama, is located on the main island of Bahrain.

* Oil has been exploited in Bahrain since 1932 but resources are now dwindling. The processing industry, as well as gas-rich fields and international banking, have assumed primary economic importance.

* Bahrain has a dry, desert climate with very mild winters and hot summers with high humidity levels. Daytime highs reach around 30°C.
 
Bahrain International Circuit
 

* This is the second time Formula One will be staged in an Arab country. The first occasion was the Moroccan Grand Prix in 1958 won by Stirling Moss.

* The track was designed by Hermann Tilke and has taken 16 months to build at an estimated cost of US $150m. More than 3,000 people worked on the project at peak times. The circuit required 70,000 cubic metres of concrete and 8,500 tonnes of steel, as well as 82,000 tyres and 5,000 metres of FIA fencing.

* The average lap time for a Formula One car around the track is expected to be approximately 1:33m, with the drivers reaching an average speed of around 210kph.

* The circuit can accommodate 45,000 spectators, with grandstand seating for 10,000. 13,000 parking spaces are available.

* A two-lane access road has been built to link the city to the circuit.

* The complex offers six circuit layouts. The longest is the Grand Prix circuit at 5.417 km (as stipulated by the FIA). The maximum uphill gradient is 3.6%, the maximum downhill gradient 5.6%. The track has15 corners (six left-handers and nine right*handers) while the start/finish straight stretches to 1,090 metres.
 
Bahrain Internation Circuit - Main Grand stand
 
BIC at night
 

* For the required 500 track marshals, Bahrain has enlisted support from Australia, Austria and France.

* The race will comprise 57 laps, a total distance of 308.769 km.

* The Grand Prix starts at 14:30 hrs local time (UTC/GMT+3 hrs) on Sunday 4th April 2004.

* As part of the support programme, Formula BMW Asia will be staging its debut event, the first two of a total of 16 races held in six countries. 16 drivers will line up with the most modern Formula cars of this class, each generating 140 bhp. Among them will be four cars from Minardi Team Asia, the junior team of the Formula One stable.

* In addition to the Formula BMW series, BMW is committed to promoting up-and-coming Asian Formula drivers. In respect of it's commitment to driving safety, a new BMW Performance Centre has been opened at the Bahrain Racing Circuit where courses will be held for the internationally renowned BMW Driver Training programme. The facility also houses another Formula BMW Racing Centre modelled on the school in Valencia, Spain.
 
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