Manama: Thousands of Formula One fans in Bahrain are in for a spectacular Thursday Treat today as Bahrain International Circuit opens its gates to three-day ticket holders to the 2016 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
Race fans will be able to enjoy a Formula One Pit Lane Walk and get a close look at some of the top flight teams hard at work in preparation for tomorrow’s start to racing.
That will be followed by a live performance featuring Moroccan star Saad Lamjarred, the first of a series of fantastic concerts to be held throughout the weekend.
The Pit Lane Walk will take place from 5pm to 6.45pm and Lamjarred’s concert will follow right after. BIC is scheduled to open its gates at 4pm.
Fans will be able to see Formula One teams in their element, take photographs and maybe even spot some of the sport’s star drivers hard at work with their engineers and mechanics.
They will then be able to enjoy the music of one of the biggest Arabic stars today, as Lamjarred serenades the crowd with many of his biggest hits.
A majority of star drivers have already touched down in Bahrain, with the latest to arrive included Jenson Button of McLaren, Felipe Massa of Williams, Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull Racing, Sergio Perez of Force India, Romain Grosjean of Haas, Carlos Sainz Jr and Max Verstappen of Toro Rosso, and Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr of Sauber.
Apart from the Pit Lane Walk and Saad Lamjarred concert, also schedule for today are Formula One’s initial scrutineering, Formula One team managers’ meeting, a track inspection and a high-speed track test.
Meanwhile, many of Formula One’s top stars have expressed their delight to race around BIC’s 5.412km desert track.
McLaren duo Fernando Alonso and Button are two of those drivers. Both are former world champions and winners in Bahrain, with Alonso triumphant in Sakhir a record three times and Button once.
“I really enjoy racing in Bahrain. It’s been a good circuit for me in the past – I’ve had three victories there – and there are quite a few good opportunities to overtake. There are lots of variables to think about and it’s one of the longest races, which usually produces some kind of drama. Hopefully we can enjoy some close racing and keep ourselves out of trouble.”
Sentiments
Button shared his teammate’s sentiments, adding that they will be determined to improve on their results in the season’s opening round in Australia, where Button was classified 14th and where Alonso suffered a horrific crash.
“Bahrain is a fun track to drive on,” said Button, who won at BIC in 2009, the same year he claimed his world title.
“The landscape of racing in the desert after sunset is always really special and brings a new dimension to the spectacle. Everything in Bahrain is always very slick and it’s an impressive place to be. My win there in 2009 is still a great memory and the wide track and run-off areas mean it’s a fun circuit on which to battle.”
Alonso is buoyant and ready to compete in Sakhir even after what had happened in Melbourne.
“I’m very pleased to be heading to Bahrain after the crash in Australia,” he said. “I’ve spent some time resting and I can’t wait to get back in the car. Although on paper Melbourne wasn’t a great race for us, before the crash I’d been having some good battles and the car felt pretty promising, so I hope in Bahrain we can experience more of the same.”
Meanwhile, Sauber pairing Ericsson and Nasr are no strangers to BIC and they hope their past experiences in Sakhir will help them bounce back from a disappointing start to the 2016 season.
“The Bahrain Grand Prix is the first night race of the season,” said Ericsson, who was a DNF in Australia. “I especially enjoy the surroundings under the floodlights, which look pretty nice on TV. I know the track well from my previous two seasons in Formula One, but also from GP2, as I have been there many times. Last year I put in a good performance as well as having a strong race. I was going for points, which did not work out in the end due to other circumstances. However, I will take that positive feeling from last year’s race weekend with me.”
Added Nasr, who was 15th a fortnight ago. He also has unique ties to the Bahrain race: “The Bahrain Grand Prix is a special race weekend for me. Having Lebanese roots from my grandfather, I have always liked being in the Middle East. For me as a driver it is nice to not only get huge support from Brazil, but also from where we are. The track itself is great fun to drive and to race at night makes the event even more special.”
On-track action is scheduled to get underway tomorrow with a pair of hour-and-a-half practice sessions. The first is scheduled to flag off at 2pm while the second will be held under floodlights from 6pm. A third hour-long practice will be held on Saturday from 3pm, leading up to qualifying at 6pm.
The 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on Sunday at 6pm.
This year’s Bahrain Grand Prix marks the second of a record 21 rounds in the 2016 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.